25 February 2024
The Print Farm
The Southland Business Chamber runs the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) in the Southern Region and proudly announces a landmark initiative for Southland’s youth entrepreneurship: the Print Farm. This pioneering effort coincides with YES’s most significant year yet, featuring involvement from 10 schools and over 200 students, all diving into the challenge of creating their own startup businesses.
The Print Farm, a new addition to the Southland Innovation Centre, represents the first Vaka initiative conducted outside of a traditional school environment. It’s designed to provide a practical, hands-on resource for students to prototype and test their innovative ideas, significantly enhancing their entrepreneurial journey.
Sheree Carey, CEO of the Southland Business Chamber, heralds this development as a crucial step forward in nurturing young talent, stating, “By giving our youth access to advanced technologies and support through the Print Farm, we are empowering them to turn their creative visions into tangible products and businesses.”
This year’s record-breaking participation in YES underscores the growing entrepreneurial spirit among Southland’s youth and the community’s collective commitment to fostering innovation. The Print Farm not only offers these young entrepreneurs a unique platform to bring their ideas to life but also integrates them into the broader ecosystem of innovation and business excellence at the Southland Innovation Centre.
The initiative is a testament to the collaborative spirit and is a joint venture with YES principal supporter Te Rourou One Aotearoa Foundation and COIN South. It aims to inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs by providing them with the tools, knowledge, and support necessary to succeed. As these students embark on their entrepreneurial ventures, they benefit from a supportive network that includes access to technology, mentorship, and the opportunity to learn from real-world business challenges.
The venture marks a significant milestone in the Chamber’s commitment to nurturing its future business leaders, setting the stage for a vibrant and prosperous entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region.