Bendigo Startups Push Cybersecurity Awareness Programs This July

Bendigo Startup Network opened registration July 8 for its summer cybersecurity series, with the first workshop scheduled for July 15 at the Hargreaves Street Innovation Centre.

The timing follows a spike in phishing attacks reported by Victorian small businesses in the first half of 2026, pushing local founders to treat security training as core infrastructure rather than an afterthought.

Programs on Williamson Street and in the CBD

Two active efforts stand out. The Bendigo Regional Innovation Centre on Williamson Street is hosting weekly drop-in clinics where startup teams test their own email filters and password policies under guidance from local engineers. Meanwhile the Tech Collective, based above the old post office in the CBD, began pairing early-stage companies with cybersecurity mentors through its July cohort intake.

Both locations sit within walking distance of the Bendigo Town Hall, making it easy for founders working late at nearby co-working spaces to attend without extra travel.

A 2025 survey by the Victorian Small Business Commission found that 34 percent of regional tech firms experienced at least one cyber incident in the prior twelve months, with average recovery costs reaching $18,400 per breach. The same data showed companies that ran quarterly awareness sessions cut successful attacks by roughly half.

Next steps for founders

Teams can sign up for the Hargreaves Street sessions through the Network site or visit the Williamson Street clinic on Tuesday afternoons. Organisers recommend bringing current incident logs so participants can map real vulnerabilities instead of generic scenarios. The next cohort intake at the Tech Collective closes July 22.