Shoestring launches in Western Australia

/ About Shoestring, News /

Shoestring’s first international pilot programme launches in association with the Western Australian government

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s Food Industry Innovation programme has signed a four-year agreement with Shoestring to bring a ‘world-first manufacturing initiative to Western Australia’.  Western Australia is the first jurisdiction outside the UK to gain access to the Shoestring programme.

Shoestring’s founder and lead, Duncan McFarlane, said:

We are delighted that the Western Australian government’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Food Industry Innovation programme is investing in Shoestring. This first international programme - and our first sector specific programme - will give us a great platform to strengthen and test remote deployment and support, and to start building a global Shoestring presence.”

Western Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD) Food Industry innovation programme will lead the Shoestring pilot. DPIRD recognises that the uptake of digitalisation by small- and medium-sized companies remains low, despite the support and incentives that national governments across the world have provided. DPIRD’s research shows that SMEs need a new approach, and DPIRD believes that the Shoestring initiative is the leader in delivering this – simple low-cost digital manufacturing solutions that can get smaller companies started. Andrew Duff, the Research report author at DPIRD Western Australia said: 

We consider Shoestring is a positive and disruptive step in the right direction with the potential to generate significant benefit for SME businesses. The benefits will extend far beyond the Western Australian context as other regions recognise the power of this model and come on board allowing Shoestring the development runway (budget, space and time) to fully develop into the transformational industry development tool that it can be.”

During the first phase of the programme Shoestring and DPIRD are offering group workshops to help businesses identify their digitalisation priorities. Then, the Shoestring team will work with individual businesses to tailor solutions to their needs. Food and drink companies in the Western Australian region interested in building their business digital capabilities should contact DPIRD’s Food Industry Innovation programme. Visit their website for more details. 

Interested in joining Shoestring’s Western Australia Food Industry pilot?

For more information on Western Australia’s Shoestring programme visit the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s website. CLICK HERE>>

Header image: By TUBS – This SVG map includes elements that have been taken or adapted from this map:, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14959438