The Illawarra Connection

Name

The Illawarra Connection

Legal name

The Illawarra Connection

Website

https://illawarraconnection.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Networking Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Affinity, Membership & Association Referral Programs (FSAEAMAL)

Keywords

• Professional networking organization
• Business networking events
• Membership association services
• Leadership development programs
• Regional business community

Headquarters

HQ city

Wollongong

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Premium Membership: Annual membership fee providing access to networking events, scholarship opportunities, membership directory, and enhanced profile. Includes two complimentary tickets to each of six black-tie dinners and eligibility to become a sponsor or partner.
2. Associate Membership: Annual membership fee for consultants and sole traders, providing one complimentary ticket to each of six black-tie dinners and scholarship opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Illawarra Connection is a non-profit, membership-based professional networking organization that connects business and community leaders in the Illawarra region. It sells annual Premium ($1,999+GST) and Associate ($1,260+GST) memberships that provide access to six black-tie networking dinners per year, a member directory, and two scholarship programs (Sydney Business School Graduate Certificate and Leadership Illawarra). Membership applications are processed online through the Member365 portal.

Product overview

The Illawarra Connection offers a membership-based networking platform for business and community leaders in the Illawarra region. The core offering consists of Premium and Associate membership packages that provide access to six annual black tie dinner meetings featuring high-profile speakers. The organization also operates two scholarship programs: the Sydney Business School Graduate Certificate Degree Scholarship (offering fully funded tuition) and the Leadership Illawarra Program (a two-year experiential leadership development initiative). These products work together to foster connections, inspire collaboration, and drive innovation among regional business leaders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Regional Development Australia (RDA) Illawarra ShoalhavencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Co-developer of the Leadership Illawarra Program, a two-year experiential program designed to nurture and develop the next generation of regional leaders. Partnership combines government regional development expertise with academic and business leadership.
• Sydney Business SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Partnership with UOW's Sydney Business School to offer scholarship opportunities for Graduate Certificate Degrees to financial members and their staff. One fully funded scholarship covering full tuition fees is granted annually for a Graduate Certificate focusing on Marketing, HRM, Supply Chain, Business Analytics, or Business Administration.
• University of WollongongcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1993Foundation Partner and key academic collaborator. The university provides scholarship opportunities including the Sydney Business School Graduate Certificate Degree and participates in the Leadership Illawarra Program. UOW ranks among the top 1% of universities globally and is recognized for social and economic impact.
• BlueScopecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1993Foundation Partner representing the steel and manufacturing sector. BlueScope employs approximately 7,000 people at 100 sites across Australia. The partnership provides access to major regional employer and industrial expertise.
• Access Law GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1993Foundation Partner providing legal expertise. ALG has over 18 years of industry experience in Property Conveyancing, Commercial Litigation, Insolvency and Business Law, serving clients from large corporations to small businesses.
• Trusted PartnerssupportingOthersA network of trusted partner organizations including businesses across various sectors in the Illawarra region who support the organization's mission and participate in events and networking activities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• BNI (Business Network International): BNI operates structured membership-based business networking chapters globally, with attendees paying recurring fees to attend regular meetings and pass referrals. Like The Illawarra Connection, it sells access to a curated peer network as its core product, though it operates worldwide and uses weekly breakfast meetings rather than annual black-tie dinners.
• CEO Institute: Australia-based peer networking organization for CEOs and senior executives, running paid membership groups and dinner events. Closely comparable in the exclusive CEO-level dinner format and paid recurring membership model, sized more similarly to The Illawarra Connection than global peers like YPO.
• Rotary International: Long-established membership-based civic organization running local clubs with paid dues, regular meetings, and community/leadership development programs. Comparable as a paid membership model with local chapters, regular meetings, and scholarship/community programs, though Rotary is far larger and operates globally with a service mission.

Broad incumbents

• YPO (Young Presidents' Organization): Premium global peer network for CEOs and presidents, organized into chapters with paid membership and regular leadership events. Comparable in the elite executive networking positioning and recurring membership model, though YPO is global, membership-restricted, and broader in programming.
• Institute of Company Directors (AICD): National professional association for directors offering paid membership, education, networking events, and speaking programs. Comparable in targeting senior business leaders with paid membership and high-profile speaker events, though AICD operates nationally and focuses on governance education.
• CEDA (Committee for Economic Development of Australia): National policy-oriented membership organization hosting high-profile speaker events and dinners for senior business and policy leaders. Mirrors The Illawarra Connection's speaker-led dinner format and CEO-level audience, but operates at a national scale and focuses on economic policy rather than regional community development.
• Vistage Worldwide: Global peer advisory organization grouping CEOs and business leaders into paid membership groups for monthly meetings and executive coaching. Comparable in targeting CEO-level members with paid recurring membership and structured peer interaction, though Vistage operates globally and uses ongoing advisory groups rather than periodic dinners.

Regional players

• Regional Development Australia Illawarra Shoalhaven: Government-backed regional development body for the same Illawarra Shoalhaven region, co-developing the Leadership Illawarra Program with The Illawarra Connection. Strongly comparable in regional focus and leadership development mission, though government-funded rather than member-funded.
• Illawarra Business Awards / Business Illawarra: Regional business chamber and awards body for the Illawarra, hosting recognition events and networking opportunities for regional businesses. Comparable regional business networking focus, though structured around annual awards rather than recurring dinner meetings.
• Wollongong Chamber of Commerce & Industry: Local chamber serving Wollongong and broader Illawarra businesses through membership tiers, networking events, and advocacy. Directly comparable as a regional business membership organization in the same geography, though focused on broader chamber services rather than the elite CEO-level dinners that differentiate The Illawarra Connection.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-illawarra-connection

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Illawarra Connection