
Overview
The WA Social Enterprise Council (WASEC) is pleased to launch our inaugural Social Impact Incubator 2025 in line with our focus to build a thriving social enterprise sector in Western Australia. This highly subsidised 6 month incubator has been created in collaboration with the local social enterprise community to support early-stage Western Australian based social enterprises.
Drawing on the expertise of WASEC’s 300+ member network, the incubator will provide both practical skills and industry connections through expert-led sessions, interactive workshops, and real-world engagement. The incubator will provide you with tools, mentors, networks, investment pathways and support to help turn your bold ideas into a sustainable business.
Outcomes
This incubator is designed to equip you with the knowledge, skills, mindset and connections to grow a viable social enterprise with lasting impact. The program will support you to:
- Clarify your purpose and the problem you’re solving
- Develop or strengthen your business and impact model
- Build a clear brand and value proposition
- Improve financial planning and budgeting skills
- Explore funding options including grants and investment
- Understand legal structures, governance, and risk
- Measure and communicate your social impact
- Streamline your operational systems, tools and team
- Prepare and deliver a compelling pitch
- Connect with mentors, peers, and the WA social enterprise ecosystem
- Explore opportunities to grow your reach and impact


Schedule
Sessions will alternate between in-person workshops at a central Perth City location and online workshops delivered via Zoom. Applicants will need to have access to a computer with video and sound capability and stable internet connection to participate in interactive Zoom workshops.
Participants are expected to attend at least 80% of the sessions including the Pitch night in order to successfully complete the program.
- Thursday 7 August 2025 5:00 – 8:00pm (IN PERSON)
- Thursday 21 August 2025 5:00 – 8:00pm (ONLINE)
- Thursday 4 September 2025 5:00 – 8:00pm (IN PERSON)
- Thursday 18 September 2025 5:00 – 8:00pm (ONLINE)
- Thursday 2 October 2025 5:00 – 8:00pm (IN PERSON)
- Thursday 16 October 2025 5:00 – 8:00pm (ONLINE)
- Thursday 30 October 2025 5:00 – 8:00pm (IN PERSON)
- Thursday 13 November 2025 5:00 – 8:00pm (ONLINE)
- Thursday 27 November 2025 5:00 – 8:00pm (IN PERSON)
- Thursday 12 February 2026 5:00 – 8:00pm – Pitch Practice (IN PERSON)
- Thursday 26 February 2026 5:00 – 8:00pm – Pitch Night (IN PERSON)
Eligibility
Who is eligible to participate?
This program is open to current or emerging social enterprise founders or co-founders based in Western Australia. For example an impact-driven startup, a social enterprise, or a Not-for-profit with an enterprise arm. It is also suited to committed founders with strong ideas they are ready to develop.
Cost
How much does it cost?
With support from our funding partners, we are pleased to offer the incubator at a highly subsidised price. If this cost is still a barrier reach out to our WASEC team.
If you’re a WASEC member you’re entitled to a 20% discount and if you’re based outside of Perth you will be reimbursed for your travel and accommodation.
$500 per participant (subsidised price)
APPLY
How do you apply?
To apply for the program simply complete the online application form below. Applications close Monday 21 July 2025.
Need some help?
If you have any questions or need help completing your application send us an email. [email protected]
FAQs
The Social Impact Incubator is a highly subsidised 6 month program to support Western Australian based early stage social entrepreneurs who have an idea for a new social enterprise, or have launched a social enterprise but are still developing their impact and business model.
We intend to award up to 20 places in our 2025 program.
Bi-weekly workshops led by experienced social entrepreneurs and subject matter experts, mixing short presentations, Q&A, and practical activities. Sessions will alternate between in-person and online. You’ll also get tools and templates to put ideas into action and wrap up by sharing your pitch at a final showcase event.
Workshops every second week on Thursday evenings 5:00 – 8:00pm AWST from 7 August to 27 November. Then pitch practice on Thursday 12 February 2026 and the final pitch night on Thursday 26 February 2026.
Sessions will be held in a Perth CBD location and online via Zoom.
Workshops cover all the steps to shape, test and grow your social enterprise — from purpose and problem definition to solutions, business models, branding, funding, impact measurement and pitching. Content is designed to suit you whether you’re starting with an idea or building on an existing venture.
Anyone with an idea for a new social enterprise or expansion to an existing social enterprise operating in Western Australia.
A social enterprise is a business that exists primarily to fulfil a social, environmental, or cultural mission, reinvesting the majority of its profits back into achieving this purpose.
Participants will be chosen based on whether the program is the right fit for their needs and stage of development. If we feel other support would suit you better, we’ll do our best to refer you to other programs or services that can help.
You will need to submit an online application form via the WASEC website. Applications for 2025 are open until midnight Monday 21 July 2025 AWST.
Recipients can be individuals or teams of up to two people. While it would be best for both members of the team to complete the entire program we would like at least one founder to attend the full program.
The cost is $500 per person. This is a highly subsidised price thanks to generous support from our program partners. If you’re a WASEC member you’re entitled to a 20% discount and if you’re based outside of Perth you will be reimbursed for your travel and accommodation.
Yes if you have participated in another program you are very welcome to apply. The value of this program is not only in the content covered, but also in the connections made with your fellow participants and local social impact network.
This program is open to those aged 18 years and over at this stage.
Participants are required to attend the introductory session and pitch night as well as 90% of the other sessions offered.
To make sure you can participate fully in the interactive Zoom workshops you will need to have access to a computer with a webcam and microphone as well as a stable internet connection. While tablets and smart phones can access Zoom they may not support the interactive features of the platform.


