INGA

In April 2019, Regional Development Australia (RDA) Orana was successful in securing a Commonwealth Government Small Medium Enterprises Export Hubs grant for the NSW Orana and Central West region with the focus on mining, equipment and technology and services (METS) innovations originating from the two regions.

The intended outcomes of the 2019 SME Export Hub grant opportunity were to:

• Foster greater cooperation and collaboration between participating SMEs and others
• Support the growth of participating SMEs through activities such as developing collective brands and leveraging infrastructure to support the participation of their region in global supply chains
• Improve local capability to increase exports, encourage growth, and create jobs.

A key milestone of the Export Hub project was to develop the Orana Opportunity Network O2N. The O2N provides support for industry and business development in the Orana and Central West regions of NSW.

Once the network was created, a strategy that outlined the priorities for O2N was developed, informed by regional stakeholder consultation.

The O2N Strategy was endorsed in February 2020 with other key milestones including the establishment of the now annual Resources, Energy and Industry Innovation Forum (REIIF).

In March 2021 a Concept Study was developed for an O2N Innovation Hub for the region to support the objectives of the O2N strategy and deliver a sustaining model for the network. In August 2022 an application was submitted by O2N for funding support from the Regional NSW Business Case and Strategy Development Fund (BCSDF). The purpose of this funding request was to progress the O2N Innovation Hub Concept Study to Business Case.

In 2023 the Inland NSW Growth Alliance (INGA) was established and O2N has been transitioned to INGA.

All initiatives from O2N are now being led by INGA and INGA is leading the Hub Project.