Contrary to conventional innovation dogma favoring large hubs, Canberra has built a uniquely successful ecosystem by embracing its small size and leveraging close-knit relationships among government, academia, and startups.
- Canberra’s ecosystem generated $900M in impact over ten years
- Interdependence between government, universities, and startups is natural
- CBRIN startups have raised over $400M in recent years
What happened
The Canberra Innovation Network (CBRIN) was founded in November 2014 without a predefined blueprint, responding instead to Canberra’s unique size and community dynamics. Instead of pursuing rapid scale, the network focused on building deep connections and trust locally, recognizing that everyone in the community already knew each other.
Over a decade, this approach yielded strong collaboration between government, university researchers, and startup founders—an interdependence that larger ecosystems often have to artificially create. This foundational work led to sustained participation in local events, significant job creation, and substantial economic contributions, including $195 million in 2024 alone.
Why it matters
Canberra’s innovation story challenges the dominant narrative that innovation ecosystems must be large and sprawling to succeed. Instead, it demonstrates that smaller ecosystems can carve out a niche by fostering genuine trust and collaboration, leading to outsized returns on investment.
With a $57 return for every dollar invested by the ACT government, and companies helped by CBRIN raising over $400 million, Canberra serves as a rare case study in how scale is not the only path to innovation impact. Its recognition at global awards and inclusion alongside world-renowned innovation districts underscore its growing influence.
What to watch next
The continuing evolution of CBRIN’s ecosystem will be important to monitor as it seeks to maintain its unique model while scaling its impact. Key areas include how the network sustains engagement and trust amid growing interest and potential external investment.
Additionally, how Canberra’s approach influences other smaller innovation hubs in Australia and internationally will be telling. It may inspire a wider reconsideration of how ecosystems develop and thrive in cities that do not fit the ‘big city innovation hub’ mold.