Ligantic becomes Be.Bendigo Gold Partner, bringing AI tools to Central Victoria businesses

A Bendigo-founded tech partner, Ligantic, has signed on as Be.Bendigo's new Gold Partner, with a mission to make AI and emerging technology accessible to local businesses across Central Victoria.

The move comes as regional businesses increasingly look to automation to stay competitive. According to Be.Bendigo, the city's chamber of commerce, Ligantic will help local firms adopt AI strategically, building on groundwork laid by Regional Development Australia (RDA) Melbourne, which hosted AI forums in Bendigo between 2024 and 2025. Those forums engaged over 540 stakeholders, urging businesses to embed AI into their operations.

Real returns, real fast

The numbers are already turning heads. Bendigo businesses that have implemented AI automation report saving more than 25 hours per week on manual tasks, and most say they see a return on investment within 30 days, according to RDA Melbourne case studies.

Local e-commerce brands using AI-powered subscription automation are seeing a 78% faster order processing rate and a 94% reduction in errors, according to data from Bendigo Bank's business blog. For small operators, and SMEs make up over 95% of registered businesses in Greater Bendigo, those efficiency gains can be the difference between surviving and scaling.

A new monthly meet-up to share ideas

To spread the know-how, a monthly 'Bendigo AI Thinkspace' meet-up launched in September 2025, co-hosted by Monash University, La Trobe University, and Ligantic. The gatherings, held at the Emporium Creative Hub, are designed to connect regional innovators around AI opportunities, with talks, concept testing, and networking.

The meet-up joins an already lively local tech community. Bendigo's tech scene is anchored by the Deloitte Australia Digital Operations Centre at La Trobe University, a partnership expected to create up to 200 jobs while giving students work-based learning. The city also operates a 100-gigabit broadband network through the '100 Gig Bendigo' initiative, built to attract digital businesses and close the digital divide.

Ligantic's Gold Partner status with Be.Bendigo effectively formalises a growing push to make AI tools, from simple task automation to sophisticated subscription management, part of everyday business for Central Victoria. With industrial vacancy in Bendigo sitting at just 0.5%, well below Melbourne's 2%, demand for smarter, faster operations is only likely to grow.

For business owners wanting to see what AI can do, the next Bendigo AI Thinkspace meet-up is a practical first step. No prior experience required, just a willingness to automate the boring stuff.