In launching this year’s Launchpad Innovation grants program, Amazon has released a report focused on local SMB owners that shows 89 percent are feeling more resilient in running their businesses, one year on from first Covid lockdowns across the country.
About 92pc feel optimistic for the year ahead and 78pc will use e-commerce and digital tools to allow them to work from anywhere.
The head of Launchpad at Amazon Australia, Chadd Ciccarelli says the report shows that, 12 months into the crisis, the nation’s small and medium businesses are “feeling resilient and optimistic”.
“Australia is a nation of entrepreneurs and our SMBs are renowned for their innovation and originality,” he says. “Every business in Australia had to completely rethink how it operated, with many leveraging the power of e-commerce and digital tools to propel them forward.”
Budding entrepreneurs Rosa-Clare Willis and Andrew Ford were able to gain a $200,000 Amazon Launchpad Innovation grant in 2020. This allowed them to transform their love of their hobby pottery to a business brand called – what else? – Crockd.
