From Garage to Growth Engine: How One Bendigo Tech Founder is Reshaping the Region's Innovation Landscape

When Sarah Chen first launched her software development consultancy from a cramped garage in Strathdale five years ago, few in Bendigo's business community recognised the potential she saw in the region's untapped talent pool. Today, her company—now occupying a sprawling workspace in the historic Pall Mall precinct—has become a quiet force in positioning Bendigo as a serious contender in Victoria's innovation ecosystem.

Chen's latest venture, however, extends well beyond her own success. She's spearheading plans for "Innovation Bendigo," a collaborative startup hub proposed for a vacant heritage building on View Street, with backing from the Bendigo Business Advancement Network and support from Bendigo Kangan Institute's new enterprise development program. The initiative aims to provide subsidised desk space, mentorship networks, and access to capital for emerging entrepreneurs—infrastructure that has historically been lacking in regional Victoria.

"Bendigo has the fundamentals: affordable real estate, a strong tertiary sector, and a community that supports local business," Chen explained in recent comments to local business groups. "What we've been missing is the connective tissue—a physical space where founders can collaborate, share ideas, and access the networks that drive innovation."

The timing appears strategic. Regional Victoria has seen a 34 per cent increase in startup registrations over the past two years, according to recent ABS data, yet most activity remains concentrated in Melbourne's inner suburbs. Bendigo's lower commercial rents—averaging $180–$220 per square metre compared to $450+ in Fitzroy—combined with improving broadband infrastructure, have attracted growing interest from remote-first tech companies and digital services firms.

Chen's own trajectory exemplifies the opportunity. Her consultancy now employs 18 staff and counts clients across healthcare, fintech, and government sectors. More significantly, she's begun mentoring younger founders through the Bendigo Innovation Hub's informal networks, including recent graduates of La Trobe University's Bendigo campus.

If the View Street hub secures anticipated council planning approvals later this year, it could catalyse a broader shift in how the region markets itself—less as a heritage tourism destination alone, and more as a genuine alternative to Melbourne's saturated startup scene. For Chen and others betting on Bendigo's potential, the moment feels ripe.

"Every major city started somewhere," she noted. "The question isn't whether Bendigo can support innovation. It's whether we'll seize the moment to build it intentionally."

This article was compiled by AI from the sources linked above and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.