Centre to incubate start-ups

Hedland start-ups will be able to get a helping hand during their critical early years of growth now a new business incubator has been given the green light.

The Port Hedland Chamber of Commerce announced it would buy land in the West End and begin construction on its East Pilbara Innovation Centre after securing $2 million funding from BHP Billiton and the State Government’s Pilbara Development Commission.

Chamber managing secretary Arnold Carter said the centre would give small business owners access to financial support services and discounted office and conference room facilities.

It would also be designed on an open office plan to allow small business owners to network and share their professional skills across each other’s companies.

“This will give them the confidence to take the next step,” Mr Carter said.

“So before they branch out into the big wild world, they can come here to get experience and accounting assistance so they have a fair idea what running a small business is all about.”

Mr Carter said the chamber had also received expressions of interest from the University of WA and Aboriginal corporations to run services and have a presence in the centre.

“We also have an accounting company, (which) is interested in having a facility available at the centre, so it is going to be very multi-purpose,” he said.