The funding has been delivered through Stage Two of the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund.
The fit out of NOVA in the old Armidale Library building on Faulkner Street will be funded by a $900,000 commitment by UNE, supported by a peppercorn lease arrangement for the building with Armidale Regional Council.
UNE Vice Chancellor and CEO Professor Brigid Heywood said that SRI’s NOVA in is in line with UNE’s strategy to support resilient regional communities.
“With the backing of the NSW and Australian Governments, NOVA will support solutions that will deliver real impact for this region’s business community, as well as emerging entrepreneurs,” Professor Heywood said.
“I am excited about the opportunities and innovative partnerships that NOVA will facilitate for businesses, our students and our existing powerful community of business founders linked through UNE’s SRI.”
The redevelopment of the Old Library will include fitting out a number of shared workstations, hot desk and micro-offices, along with meetings rooms, digital suites and a 90 seat auditorium for on-site workshops, presentations and launches.
This will join the growing network of SRI partnership facilities across the New England North West region including those being developed in Tamworth and Moree.
Member for Northern Tablelands, Adam Marshall said the SRI would deliver business resilience and growth programs in an effort to help businesses succeed and to grow the economy.
“NOVA will be a launch pad for entrepreneurs looking to explore agriculture, creative industries, environment, renewable energy, food processing and health,” Mr Marshall said.
“Over the next two years NOVA will deliver programs to support local businesses to recover, grow and build resilience to future natural disasters.
“At its heart this project is about giving new businesses every chance they need to succeed, create jobs and contribute to making the economy of the New England as strong as it can possibly be,” he said.
NOVA is expected to be completed in October 2021.
Image - UNE VC Brigid Heywood with Lou Conway from UNE SRI, with Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall pictured at the old Armidale Library building.
