Date: Monday, May 1 Time: 5.15pm to 7pm Venue: Boiler House Lecture Theatre, Kirinari St, University of Canberra Bookings: rsvp@asflimited.com.au Cost: Free

Join David Koch, host of Channel Seven’s Sunrise program, to explore the skills, knowledge and experience of some of Canberra’s entrepreneurs. This forum will provide an insight into how small businesses in the Canberra region are contributing to the powerhouse of innovation and creativity, moving towards achieving their growth potential, and powerfully influencing the region’s economy by creating employment and prosperity. Featuring: John Benton, co-founder and Creative Director of Cre8ive Communications; Brand Hoff, founder and former Managing Director of Tower Software; and Dr Lyndal Thorburn, Managing Director of Innovation Dynamics. Presented by ICAN and proudly supported by the University of Canberra.

Date: Tuesday, May 2 Time: 5.30pm to 7.30pm Venue: Management Lecture Theatre, Sir Ronald Wilson Building, McCoy Circuit, Australian National University
Bookings: 02 6125 4895 or ngsm@anu.edu.au Cost: Free

How do Canberra’s leading business angels, incubators and entrepreneurs encourage enterprise development in the region? Hear entrepreneurs who are driving the ACT economy and meet key people steering local ventures. Featuring Roslyn Hughes of Epicorp; Bill Mobbs of ITL Corporation; Phil Williamson of DPM; and David Malloch of Malloch Digital Design; and moderated by the National Graduate School of Management’s Christopher Nailer. Presented by the Australian National University’s National Graduate School of Management and ICAN.

Date: Wednesday, May 3 Time: 5.30pm to 7.30pm Venue: AIM ACT, Level 3, Engineering House, 11 National Circuit, Barton Bookings: 1300 651 811, chrisba@aimcan.com.au or www.aimcan.com.au Cost: $30 for non-AIM members

Do you have a corporate structure that is agile and flexible, and encourages diverse thought, individual initiative and the development of ideas? For any organisation to grow its competitiveness, it is vital to develop and nurture innovation. This workshop will give you some tools to assist you review the level of innovation in your organisation, to encourage innovation and to identify and manage your innovators. Presented by AIM ACT.

Date: Wednseday, May 3 Time: 7.15am to 9am Venue: Canberra Business Promotions Centre, Regatta Point Bookings: 02 6247 499 or secretariat@canberrabusinesscouncil.com.au or www.canberrabusinesscouncil.com.au Cost: $48 non members ($36 members)

Ralph Petroff, is a proven CEO/Entrepreneur who has built two start-ups into worldwide market leaders in their respective fields. Petroff is a “business builder” with almost 30 years of successful CEO global experience in high technology, including businesses in wireless communications, remote data acquisition and control, sensor networks, radar, and asset tracking. In 2005 Petroff joined NICTA as ‘Entrepreneur in Residence’ – His mission is to build a commercial pipeline of successful spinouts from inspired NICTA research and to help construct a commercial culture at NICTA. Presented by the Canberra Commercialisation Council and Canberra Business Council.

Date: Wednesday, May 3 Time: 6.30pm to 8.30pm Venue: Manning Clarke Lecture Theatre, Union Lane, Australian National University Bookings: Not required Cost: Free

The most popular ABC Australian Story for 2005 featured Hunter Valley thoroughbred breeder and farmer Peter Andrews who has restored badly degraded land to fertile, drought-resistant pasture. He calls this new method Natural Sequence Farming. There is great interest now in what the scientists have to say about Peter’s methods. This forum will provide the opportunity to hear him speak – along with local farmer Toni Coote and some of the country’s leading natural resource management scientists such as The Australian National University’s Prof. Ian White, Dr John Williams and Prof. David Mitchell who are scientifically testing Peter’s methods. Presented by the Natural Edge Project and Natural Sequence Farming.

Date: Tuesday, May 9 Time: 7.15am to 8.30am Venue: Southern Cross Yacht Club, Mariner Place, Yarralumla Bookings: 02 6267 3888 lynda.watson@au.ey.com
Cost: $25

The Ernst & Young Women With Ambition Breakfast series have been a monthly feature on the calendar for ACT business women for over 10 years. The breakfasts provide an informal and supportive forum that facilitates women’s networking and development. Join Lynda O’Grady, Managing Director of Convergent Solutions & Sales for Telstra Business & Government as she shares her inspiring personal business journey at this month’s breakfast.

Date: Thursday, May 11 Time: 5.15pm registration, 5.30pm to 7pm seminar (followed by networking reception

Venue: National Convention Centre, Constitution Avenue, Civic Bookings: register for this free seminar online www.business.act.gov.au/seminar

Discover how award-winning business people meet the challenges of creating value for customers through creativity and adaptability. Moderated by ABC Radio’s Ross Solly, the forum will feature John Hindmarsh, founder and Managing Director of Hindmarsh Group, a Canberra-based, internationally active construction group; Ron Murray, founder and Managing Director of Murray’s Travel, well known for its super-cheap Canberra-Sydney bus fares; and Richard Luton, whose property group has brought new levels of marketing savvy to the Canberra real estate scene. Presented by BusinessACT and ICAN, and supported by AusIndustry.

Date: Monday, May 15 Time: 5.45pm for 6.00pm to 8.30pm Venue: Waldorf on London Circuit

Bookings: www.cwb.org.au/diary.shtml or 02 6282 6255 Cost: $35 Members, $45 Non-members

Join Petra Bouvain, senior marketing lecturer at the University of Canberra as she speaks on Marketing on a Budget. Petra lectures throughout Asia on this topic. Also featured will be a 'surprise' guest speaker - an award-winning Canberra-based business woman, speaking on what it takes to be successful. Simon Kinsmore from BusinessACT will also speak about what's new from BusinessACT. Presented by the Canberra Chamber of Women in Business.

Date: Tuesday, May 16 Time: 9.30am to 12.30pm Venue: Canberra Business Promotion Centre, Regatta Point, Acton Bookings: www.epicorp.com.au Cost: $33 includes lunch

Join Bob Irwin, Creativity and Innovation Specialist, for a fun, highly interactive mini-workshop on making Creativity and Innovation a part of your organisational culture.  Bob will focus on how you can learn to be more creative in everything you do . . . from giving presentations to being innovative, from developing business strategies to establishing and maintaining relationships. Participants can expect to be involved and enjoy themselves.  Places are strictly limited, so book early. Presented by Epicorp Limited.

Date: Sunday, May 21 Time: 2pm to 4pm Venue: Treloar Conservation and Storage Annex, 8 Callan Street, Mitchell Bookings: 02 6243 4363 or rsvp@awm.gov.au
Cost: $5 per person, $15 per family

Tour the Australian War Memorial’s collection to view the large technology that will go into the Post-945 Conflicts galleries, including the Canberra bomber, Coral gun, Iroquois helicopter, M112A1 Armoured Personnel Carrier, Brisbane bridge, Land Rover and LUGM mine.

Date: Wednesday, May 24 Time: 12noon to 2pm Venue: National Press Club of Australia, 16 National Circuit, Barton Bookings: 02 6121 2199, admin@npc.org.au or www.npc.org.au Cost: $45 Members, $30 Student members, $59 Guests

Author and corporate advisor Janine Benyus addresses the National Press Club on the topic of Sustainability Driving the Next Wave of Innovation. Janine is an expert in Biomimicry, Innovation inspired by Nature. She will draw on her experience in advising businesses as diverse as Nike, Novell, and Proctor and Gamble on integrating the inherent genius of natural design with business practice. Presented by the Natural Edge Project and partners.

Date: Monday, May 8 Time: 12.15pm for 12.30pm to 2pm Venue: Peninsula Room, National Museum of Australia, Acton Bookings: 02 6247 4199 or secretariat@canberrabusinesscouncil.com.au or www.canberrabusinesscouncil.com.au Cost: Members $65, non-members $80, Table of 10 $600

Canberra is a city of potential. Backed by a powerhouse of innovative businesses and well-established national cultural institutions, Canberra has a unique advantage as the capital city. Kate Oakley will draw on the latest research on emerging industries, regional development and economic growth to discuss ways Canberra’s cultural and urban environments could interact to ensure the region makes the most of this advantage. Presented by Canberra Business Council and ICAN, and proudly supported by The Canberra Times.

Date: Tuesday, May 9 Time: 12noon to 5pm Venue: Old Parliament House, King George Terrace, Parkes
Bookings: 02 6257 4400 or su.hodge@canberraarts.com.au

How can the creative industries help make the Canberra Region more innovative and liveable? What is the role of public policy in building a sustainable creative economy? This workshop, facilitated by Kate Oakley, will provide a pathway through the maturing debate about the role of the creative industries, in which participants will explore the theme of ‘building the creative region’. Presented by Canberra Arts Marketing and ICAN.

Date:  Wednesday, May 10 Time: 9am to 5pm Venue: National Gallery of Australia Bookings: 02 6283 5224 or info@ticact.org.au

Kate Oakley will give the keynote address at this symposium, addressing the topic of the impact of the creative industries on the tourism industry. The symposium will also explore areas such as cultural tourism, the difference between cultural and creative tourism, the role of cultural and creative tourism in destination development, and the challenges of integrating the creative industries within the tourism industry.  Presented by Tourism Industry Council (ACT & Region), National Capital Attractions Authority, Canberra Arts Marketing and ICAN

Creating a Centenary of Innovation

Date: Thursday, May 11 Time: 10.30am to 1.30pm Venue: Members’ Dining Room, Old Parliament House, King George Terrace, Parkes Bookings: 02 6207 0274 or www.canberra100.com.au

Canberra's path to becoming an internationally recognised centre of innovation demands a strategic approach - one that builds on success and progressively redefines the Capital's reputation, both here and overseas.
Major celebration events, such as Canberra’s centenary in 2013, can provide unique circumstances to focus these efforts and accelerate change while delivering sustained economic, social and cultural benefits.
Three independent sessions featuring Kate Oakley have been designed to provoke thought and action.

Creating an International Centre of Innovation
Time: 10.30am to 12noon

Kate Oakley - Keynote
Professor Ian Chubb, Vice Chancellor ANU, and Chair of Canberra Partnership Board will present a short paper on Innovation -  "Opportunities and challenges for Canberra". A panel of significant Canberrans will respond and consider the issues for research, business, arts and other areas of society.

Major Events - and how to capitalise on them
Time: 12.15pm to 1.30pm Cost: $45 per person includes lunch
Kate Oakley and two visiting major event organisers - Rhoda Roberts and Andrew Walsh - will discuss opportunities for implementing major events for Canberra Centenary with a focus on long-term benefits to Canberra and the creation of cultural change.