From Dreaming to Delivery
Are you ready to turn your passion into purpose and leave a lasting legacy on our community?
At The Shift Lab | Tasmania’s First Social Impact Incubator, we’re not just a resource – we are your catalyst to start and create change through social enterprise, helping you out to get up and going!
Looking For Tasmanian Social Enterprises?
Good Market
Doing good is such a Tasmanian way of doing business, but with a growing number of social enterprises emerging in our state, you can now ensure that your money is going towards incredible causes that support our community.
Start your journey online at the global Good Market directory.
Driving Tasmanians Ahead for Impact, from Dreaming to Delivery
The Shift Lab is Tasmania’s first social impact incubator, where new ideas that are focused on impact and leading positive change are supported to launch with the help, structures, tools and resources to have the best platform to succeed!
Driven by award winning entrepreneur Adam Mostogl of illuminate Education Australia and The van Diemen Project and initially delivered with the support of the Tasmanian Government through the Department of State Growth, The Shift Lab is designed on experience, getting ideas launched, recognising what it takes to get a business going in Tasmania and making sure impact is at the core of what you do.
If you have been dreaming of having a crack at launching a new idea that isn’t about making a lot of money for yourself but in fact about positive impact on our community – be it environmental, cultural, social or economic – then The Shift Lab | Tasmania’s First Social Impact Incubator is the ideal place to build and start.
Why Tasmania?
Tasmania is not just an island of stunning beauty, it’s a place where we quietly pursue the extraordinary. And in that, community and sustainability are more than buzz words, they are a way of life for us here no matter where you are in the state. If you have been wanting to do more to look after our community and have an idea that could make a difference, then let’s see what we can do to help you get going.
It’s also very Tasmanian to support small businesses and get excited about those with a purpose that is shared through a story, however through starting verified social enterprises against international standards create the best foundation to live out the purpose that drives people to overcome social, economic, cultural and environmental challenges that we see in our world today.
And with a program built by a Tasmanian reflecting world’s best practice alongside what it takes to get going in Tasmania, you’ll have the right platform to succeed and create long term impact.
Why Start With Us?
There are plenty of reasons to take the idea you’ve been dreaming about and bringing it into an incubator like The Shift Lab | Tasmania’s First Social Impact Incubator, including;
- Local Expertise: We know the Tasmanian small business community, are passionate about social enterprises and are here to share our insights with you.
- Practical Guidance: Our resources are not just developed to make you write a lengthy document – they are an actionable roadmap to help you make real and measureable progress.
- Community Connection: Join our growing community of like-minded innovators and change-makers, as well as accessing our collective networks to help you take that next big leap.
- Inspiration & Encouragement: Take the first steps with support and regular check-ins, rather than doing it on your own!
… and so much more! Don’t take the leap on your own as take the first steps towards creating long term change.
About Adam Mostogl
2024 Australia’s Most Influential Educators
2023 Australia’s Top 40 Under 40 Entrepreneurs & Executives
2018 Finalist, ProBono Australia’s Impact 25
2015 Finalist, Young Australian of the Year
In any given week, Adam Mostogl might be helping entrepreneurs to kick-start their business ideas, stimulating small businesses to challenge the status quo, challenging communities to understand their potential or teaching hundreds of students to embrace innovation to solve the problems of the future.
Adam is the Founder / Inspirer at illuminate Education Australia, inspiring over 20,000 students to address the largest challenges they see in their communities, as well as the CEO & Chief Entrepreneur of The van Diemen Project, where he has mentored and advised over 1200 people on their business journey – and proudly the driving force behind The Shift Lab | Tasmania’s First Social Impact Incubator.
With international experience through global innovation processes like UNLEASH and learning from his global connections alongside his passion for impact and driving change in Tasmania, Adam is excited to keep investing in others through The Shift Lab.
What Even Is A Social Enterprise?
People + Planet First
At The Shift Lab, we have adopted the agreed definition of what a social enterprise is as the peak associations across Australia, using the internationally recognised People and Planet First framework to inform our approach and underpin our model.
- Purpose: Exists to solve a social and/or environmental problem.
- Operations: Prioritises purpose, people and planet over profit in operational decisions.
- Revenue: Has a self-sustaining revenue model.
- Use of surplus: Reinvests the majority of any surplus towards its purpose.
- Structure: Chooses legal structures and financing that protect and lock-in purpose long-term.
You can find our more about this social enterprise framework online by clicking here, and if you have a social enterprise you want verified, click here to register and start the process.
One Focus on Impact | Two Models of Delivery
We know how things can get busy in life, so we’ve developed two models to allow for maximum flexibility – either completing the materials completely online, or else expressing interest to be involved in a future round with in person workshops.
In Person Incubator
Gather together in your region with other aspiring social entrepreneurs and other community members focused on impact, to complete the following;
- In Person Workshops, where you are introduced to key concepts including what is a social enterprise, marketing, strategic planning, financial management, impact models, theory of change, communication tactics and much more. Being in a group based session allows you to learn and grow together as a group.
- Regular Mentoring, where you can get regular time with the facilitator of the program to discuss your social enterprise, the content of the workshops and much more as you move from dreaming to delivery.
- Online Resource Portal to access additional resources and content, and complete key tasks to remain accountable throughout the process.
With over 60 social enterprises started across Tasmania through this program, this is a proven way to get your idea up and running for impact.
Currently there are no in person programs scheduled at the moment, but to stay in the loop when we announce more, please complete an expression of interest by clicking the button below.
Complete it Online
Open for access from March 2025.
Take the first steps into starting a social enterprise at your own pace with our completely online version of the materials. This style of resource is designed for;
- New Social Enterprises to take steps ahead with confidence and clarity, through learning about key concepts including framing a problem, building your own marketing materials, software to help as well as everything offered in the in person program.
- Community Organisations that are exploring social enterprise opportunities, as the resources are designed in a way that you then take your board, management team or key volunteers through the process of creating your own social enterprise.
The Social Enterprise Toolbox provides a ‘choose your own adventure’ style exploration of starting a social enterprise, including;
- Almost 50 short video workshops that outline key principles and skills that you will need on the journey, supported by links and editable templates.
- The ability to add on one-on-one mentoring sessions to the resources, allowing you to get individual support and coaching through the process.