Yarpa NSW Indigenous Business & Employment Hub

What Yarpa NSW Indigenous Business & Employment Hub does

Yarpa NSW Indigenous Business & Employment Hub is a non-profit service organization and business unit of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC), established in 2018 under the Indigenous Business Sector Strategy as a partnership between NSWALC and the Australian Government. Headquartered at Level 7, 203–209 Northumberland Street, Liverpool NSW, it operates a physical co-working hub alongside statewide outreach via regional pop-ups across NSW. The organization provides free, free-membership services across three verticals: Business Support (one-on-one coaching, mentoring, workshops, accelerator programs), Employment Services (pathways for First Nations job seekers and employer support), and Industry & Strategic Partnerships (facilitated connections between First Nations suppliers and corporate, industry and government buyers).

Its core products are programs rather than software: the Yarpa Hub co-working facility (hot desks, meeting rooms, training space, AV-equipped with Microsoft Surface Hub), Yarpa Grow (a 12-week university-certified accelerator with Western Sydney University), Yarpa Ready (a 6-week tender-readiness micro-credential co-designed with tier 1/2 buyers and government procurement managers in March 2025), Meet the Buyer (annual matchmaking event — 378 strategic matches between 27 buyers and 58 suppliers in 2024), regional pop-ups, Muru Yulang (local-government procurement pilot with Campbelltown City Council), and the Caring for Country grants program. Supporting tools include a PowerApps Portals member directory and an online hub space booking system.

The revenue model is government-funded: operations are supported by NSWALC and Australian Government partnerships, with additional project grants from Aboriginal Affairs NSW under the NSW Roadmap for Aboriginal Business Growth. All services are provided free of charge across multiple membership tiers (First Nations Business, First Nations Start Up, General/Industry, Community, Individual Employment, Employment Service Provider). There is no commercial pricing, no equity funding, and no disclosed revenue. Customers span a long tail of First Nations SMBs (members and alumni) on the supply side, enterprise buyers (Lendlease, BESIX Watpac, Ventia) on the demand side, and government bodies as both customers and funders.

Name

Yarpa NSW Indigenous Business & Employment Hub

Legal name

YARPA NSW Indigenous Business and Employment Hub

Website

https://yarpa.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Yarpa NSW Indigenous Business & Employment Hub is a free, government-funded non-profit that delivers business coaching, accelerator programs (Yarpa Grow, Yarpa Ready), employment services, and the annual Meet the Buyer event to First Nations businesses, suppliers and corporate buyers across NSW.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indigenous Business Support Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning (MEL) & Reporting for Donor Programs (BPADAOAL)

Keywords

• Indigenous business support
• Employment services
• Business accelerator programs
• Procurement facilitation
• First Nations economic development

Headquarters

HQ city

Liverpool

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding & Grants: Yarpa operates as a partnership between NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) and the Australian Government. The organization receives government funding to deliver programs and services supporting First Nations economic development. Funding supports the Yarpa Hub operations, programs like Yarpa Grow and Yarpa Ready, and regional outreach activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Yarpa provides free business support, employment services, and industry partnerships for First Nations businesses, individuals, and communities across NSW. Its core offerings include one-on-one business coaching, mentoring, training workshops, a co-working hub in Liverpool, accelerator programs (Yarpa Grow and Yarpa Ready), the annual Meet the Buyer procurement event, and employment pathway support, all delivered through a free membership model.

Product overview

Yarpa NSW Indigenous Business & Employment Hub is a one-stop-shop service provider for First Nations businesses, industry, and community in NSW. Rather than a unified software platform, Yarpa offers a portfolio of interconnected programs and services including: the Yarpa Hub co-working facility (providing workspace and business coaching); Business Support Services (coaching, mentoring, training, workshops); Employment Services; Industry & Strategic Partnerships; and accelerator programs (Yarpa Grow 12-week accelerator and Yarpa Ready 6-week tender readiness program, both delivered with Western Sydney University). Key annual events include Meet the Buyer and Regional Pop-ups. The organization also runs specialized initiatives including the Muru Yulang Local Aboriginal Business Network with Campbelltown City Council and the Caring for Country Grants Program. All services are free for members and designed to strengthen the First Nations business sector across NSW.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Yarpa Grow: 12-week business accelerator program for established First Nations businesses, delivered in partnership with Western Sydney University. It provides specialized training, mentorship, and resources to build capacity, capability, and competitiveness.
• Yarpa Ready
• Muru Yulang

Products and services

• Yarpa Hub Co-working Facility A co-working facility located in Liverpool, NSW, providing hot desks, meeting rooms, private offices, training spaces, and collaboration areas for Yarpa members. Equipped with modern technology including Microsoft Surface Hub, high-speed Wi-Fi, and audio-visual equipment. Open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
• Business Support Services Flexible and responsive business advice, training, and support including one-on-one coaching, mentoring, workshops, networking events, and connection to procurement opportunities for First Nations businesses at all stages of the business lifecycle.
• Employment Services Support services for employers and employment service providers to create pathways to meaningful employment for First Nations people, including access to online job portal and connections to community networks.
• Industry & Strategic Partnerships Facilitation of connections between First Nations businesses and corporate, industry, and government sectors, including access to dedicated industry relationship managers, cultural competency training, and exclusive networking events.
• Yarpa Grow A 12-week university-certified business accelerator program for established First Nations businesses, delivered in partnership with Western Sydney University. Provides specialized training, mentorship, resources, and support for sustainable business growth.
• Yarpa Ready A 6-week tender readiness program co-designed with industry insights, delivered in partnership with Western Sydney University. Positions First Nations businesses for success in tendering processes with major buyers through micro-credential certification.
• Meet the Buyer Event Annual signature networking event matching corporate, industry, and government buyers with First Nations businesses through strategically matched 15-minute meetings, providing direct access to key decision-makers. In 2024, the event facilitated 378 strategic matches between 27 buyers and 58 First Nations business suppliers.
• Yarpa Regional Pop-ups Business coach visits to regional locations across NSW offering workshops and one-on-one consultations to support First Nations businesses outside metropolitan areas, with locations including Dubbo, Queanbeyan, Nowra, Wagga Wagga, Gunnedah, Lismore, Maitland, Moree, and Narrabri.
• Muru Yulang (Local Aboriginal Business Network) A pilot project in partnership with Campbelltown City Council under the Deliver Better Outcomes program, aiming to increase Aboriginal business participation in local government procurement through networking events, direct engagement, and procurement education.
• Caring for Country Business Development Grants Program Grant program supporting Aboriginal-owned businesses to build capacity and become tender-ready for opportunities linked to the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan, with funding up to $25,000 per business.
• Membership Programs Free membership tiers including First Nations Business Membership, First Nations Start Up Membership, General Membership for industry/government, Community Membership, and Employment memberships for individuals and service providers.
• Yarpa Business Directory Online directory of verified First Nations businesses accessible to industry members seeking Indigenous suppliers for procurement opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 378 strategic business matches facilitated at 2024 Meet the Buyer event
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Lendlease Construction Pty LimitedmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2020Partnership since December 2020 to create prosperity for First Nations people. Yarpa Hub has provided knowledge and expertise informing Lendlease's procurement strategies and facilitated new business-to-business relationships. Lendlease values Yarpa's network and Meet the Buyer events.
• NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018NSWALC is a co-founding partner of Yarpa, established under the Indigenous Business Sector Strategy (IBSS). Yarpa is a business unit of NSWALC. This partnership provides organizational governance, community credibility, and alignment with Aboriginal Land Council network across NSW.
• Australian GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018The Australian Government is a co-founding partner of Yarpa through the Indigenous Business Sector Strategy. Government partnership provides funding, policy alignment with national Indigenous procurement frameworks (Indigenous Procurement Policy), and connection to federal economic development priorities.
• Western Sydney UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestern Sydney University is the delivery partner for Yarpa Grow and Yarpa Ready programs. The university provides certification for these programs as micro-credentials. WSU has been named number one in the world for social, ecological, and economic impact in the 2023 Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings for four consecutive years.
• Campbelltown City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCampbelltown City Council is the project partner for the Deliver Better Outcomes / Muru Yulang program, a pilot project to increase Aboriginal business participation in local government procurement. The council has established policies supporting Aboriginal procurement and is working with Yarpa to develop a scalable procurement model.
• NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYarpa is a business unit of NSWALC and operates under NSWALC's Complaints Handling Policy. This relationship ensures governance alignment and cultural oversight.
• Aboriginal Affairs NSWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAboriginal Affairs NSW provides funding for the Deliver Better Outcomes project through the NSW Roadmap for Aboriginal Business Growth, delivering on Closing the Gap Priority Reform 5 for Aboriginal economic prosperity.
• National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIAA is referenced as a key partner for information sharing and policy alignment. The Indigenous Procurement Policy is administered by NIAA, which Yarpa uses to guide supplier verification.
• Campbelltown City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Muru Yulang / Deliver Better Outcomes project. The council has 7,000+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (3.8% of local population) and nearly 200 First Nations businesses in the LGA. Council is committed to improving Aboriginal procurement practices.
• Supply NationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferenced for business verification. First Nations Business Members must be registered with Supply Nation (among other registries) to qualify for membership. Yarpa promotes Supply Nation's directory for Indigenous business verification.
• Regional Aboriginal Partnerships and Outcomes (NSW)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerYarpa partners with Regional Aboriginal Partnerships and Outcomes to host Black Coffee events in Moree and Narrabri as part of Indigenous Business Month activities.
• Western Sydney Business ConnectionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization participating in Yarpa Grow mid-session networking events, providing connections for First Nations businesses to the broader Western Sydney business community.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE): Indigenous-led organisation delivering cultural, health, education and economic development programs in NSW. Comparable in its community-controlled, NSW footprint and mission to strengthen outcomes for Indigenous people, though with a broader program remit than Yarpa's business/employment focus.
• Cape York Partnership: Indigenous-led economic development organisation supporting Cape York Aboriginal communities through business, employment and social programs. Comparable in mission and community-controlled structure to Yarpa, but operating in a different regional geography of Queensland.

Direct peers

• Aboriginal Business Australia: Indigenous business support organisation focused on connecting Aboriginal businesses with procurement opportunities and capability development. Comparable in member services and buyer-matching activities to Yarpa, particularly for SMEs in NSW and beyond.
• NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce (NSWICC): State-level Indigenous chamber explicitly referenced in Yarpa's membership verification criteria, serving NSW First Nations businesses with advocacy, networking and capability-building services. Operates in the same NSW geography with a closely aligned member base.
• First Australians Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FACCI): National First Nations chamber of commerce providing business support, advocacy and procurement connections for Indigenous-owned businesses across Australia. Closely aligned mission to Yarpa's economic empowerment focus, but operating nationally rather than NSW-only.
• Supply Nation: Australia's leading Indigenous business directory and certification body, used by Yarpa as a verification channel for First Nations Business membership. Both organisations connect verified Indigenous-owned businesses with corporate and government procurement opportunities, making Supply Nation the most directly comparable peer.

Others

• Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR): Australia's pre-eminent academic research centre on Indigenous economic policy, based at ANU. Adjacent rather than competitive; informs the policy environment (Closing the Gap, Indigenous Procurement Policy) under which Yarpa operates and partners.
• Reconciliation Australia: National body promoting reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians. Not a direct competitor, but a complementary ecosystem player whose RAP framework drives the corporate demand that Yarpa taps into through its Industry Partnership service.

Broad incumbents

• Indigenous Business Australia (IBA): Australian Government-owned corporation providing commercial loans, investment and business support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Broader mandate including finance, but overlapping with Yarpa's capability-building and Indigenous procurement focus.

Regional players

• Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA): Australian Government statutory authority supporting economic and cultural development for Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal peoples in the Torres Strait region. Provides comparable business and employment support services but is geographically restricted to a different region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NSWYARPAHUB
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yarpa-nsw-indigenous-business-employment-hub
• Instagraminstagram.com/yarpa_hub

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Yarpa NSW Indigenous Business & Employment Hub