In 2026, Sea to Valley Startups is opening the door to new and existing partners to collaborate on a full calendar of regional events, sessions and workshops. This includes coworking days, growth hacks, Back of the Napkin lunches, business led conversations, one on one sessions, coworking and place based events.
The aim is simple. Do less in isolation. Do more together. Reach more people. Create better outcomes for regions and the people who live and work in them.
Why partnership matters in regional ecosystems
Evidence consistently shows that regional entrepreneurship and employment outcomes improve when support is visible, local and connected. Fragmented delivery creates confusion for participants and fatigue for providers, whereas coordinated activity increases attendance, engagement and follow through.
Sea to Valley Startups works at the intersection of small business, self employment, workforce pathways and regional development. Through programs like Self Employment Assistance and our extensive event delivery, we see first hand how people move between job seeking, business creation, volunteering, short term work and portfolio careers.
This is particularly visible across the Mid North and Yorke Peninsula, where multiple employment, training and support services operate side by side. The December 2025 Mid North Employment Service Providers mapping highlights the breadth of Workforce Australia providers, Parent Pathways, Transition to Work, Inclusive Employment Australia, Local Jobs Program activity and the Regional Development Australia Yorke and Mid North Career Advisor Service operating across the region
Partnerships allow these services to meet people where they are, rather than expecting individuals and small businesses to navigate systems alone.
What collaboration looks like in practice
Partnership with Sea to Valley Startups is practical, flexible and outcomes focused. It can include:
- Co hosting growth hacks, innovation sessions or themed workshops in regional towns
• Facilitation of Back of the Napkin lunches that combine learning with informal networking
• Coworking and drop in days linked to employability, self employment or business growth
• Joint promotion of events through our database, social media and Meetup groups
• Alignment with Jobs and Skills Network meetings and regional workforce priorities
• Testing ideas in under served locations before scaling across the region
Our Growth Hack over 19-20 February 2026 in Wallaroo is one example of this approach in action, bringing together regional businesses, innovators and service providers in a way that is accessible, practical and grounded in local realities – reserve spots.
Reach, engagement and value for partners
Sea to Valley Startups brings more than logistics to the table. We bring reach.
Partners benefit from access to an established regional database, active social media channels and strong word of mouth across multiple councils and communities. This consistently results in higher attendance, more diverse participants and stronger engagement than standalone events.
We also understand how people actually show up. Many participants are juggling work, caring responsibilities, study or job seeking. Our formats are designed to be welcoming, flexible and useful, whether someone is exploring an idea, growing a business or transitioning between roles.
For partners, this means meaningful conversations with the people you are trying to reach, not just names on a registration list.
Connecting to help, jobs, skills and pathways
Events and sessions do not sit in isolation from your activities instead we actively connect participants to:
- Regional Development Australia in the Yorke and Mid North; Barossa, Gawler, Light, Adelaide Plains
- Self Employment Assistance through Sea to Valley Startups
- Volunteering, events, festivals and markets
- Local council, state government and Services Australia pathways
- Local Facebook employment and opportunity groups across the region
This ecosystem approach reflects how people actually build livelihoods in regional Australia, often combining employment, self employment and community contribution over time.
2026 dates and opportunities
Two key Jobs and Skills Network meetings are already locked in for 2026, providing immediate opportunities for collaboration.
Jobs and Skills Network Meeting – Barossa, Light and Adelaide Plains
Thursday 19 February 2026
Jobs and Skills Network Meeting – Yorke and Mid North
Thursday 19 March 2026
Save the date.
We are also continuing conversations with organisations such as Regional Development Australia, councils, business associations, Regional Tech Hub partners and infrastructure providers including nbn Local SA, with Yorke Peninsula remaining a priority focus area.
An open invitation
If you are a council, RDA, training provider, business association, employer, industry group or service organisation, such as Regional Tech Hub and NBN Co, looking to engage regional businesses and individuals in a meaningful way, we would love to talk.
Partnership does not need to be complex. It starts with a conversation about where you are focusing in 2026 and how we might align activity to create better outcomes for regions.
Get in touch with Wendy Perry from Sea to Valley Startups via wendy@seatovalleystartups.com.au to explore how we can collaborate on events, sessions and workshops that work for regional communities.