Strength Through Collaboration
Celebrating 11 Years of Indigenous Business Excellence and Collaboration
This coming October marks the eleventh year of Indigenous Business Month – a nationwide First Nations’ community-led celebration of the talent, strength, and resilience of First Nations businesses across Australia. In 2025, we reflect on how far we’ve come and look to the future under the powerful theme announced today: Strength through Collaboration.
From partnerships forged across Country, culture and continents, to local businesses joining forces to support community needs, Indigenous Business Month 2025 acknowledges that our greatest strength lies in how we work together – amongst ourselves and our allies.
“It’s the eleventh year of Indigenous Business Month, and this time we swing the focus onto the work we all do in collaboration – with community, corporations, government, and not-for-profit organisations, but most significantly, with grassroots Indigenous groups and individuals,” said Dr Michelle Evans, Director of the Dilin Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership and Co-Founder of Indigenous Business Month.
“Respectful and shared decision-making is the epitome of Indigenous ways of being. ‘Strength through collaboration’ of the very genuine kind, will see us through to an economically powerful Indigenous Australia.”
Collaboration is a deeply embedded cultural practice in Indigenous communities where we come together to share knowledge, listen and make decisions collectively. This strength in togetherness sustains community and builds resilient, future-facing business models that centre culture, Country and connection.
Across the country and globally, Indigenous businesses are leading with innovation and long-term vision, often embracing post-growth approaches that value legacy over scale. These enterprises are creating change within their own businesses, and across the broader business and economic landscape.
“As we move into the next decade of Indigenous Business Month, it’s exciting to see how Indigenous businesses across the country are working together, with each other and with a wide range of organisations, to continue building and supporting communities.”
“This year’s theme is a testament to the journey of the sector so far, and a vision for what lies ahead. Few of us could build a business without collaboration. Whether it’s with other business owners, our customers, or our suppliers, these relationships are foundational. They help us create meaningful businesses that serve and uplift our communities,” said Leesa Watego, Co-Founder of Indigenous Business Month and Director of Iscariot Media.
Mayrah Sonter, Co-Founder of Indigenous Business Month and Director at 33 Creative added, “When we launched Indigenous Business Month more than a decade ago, we did so with a belief in the strength and potential of our people to balance business success with responsibility to our communities. What makes our sector strong is not just the brilliance of individual businesses, but the way we collaborate, support and stand with one another in sharing opportunity. This year’s theme is a celebration of that unity – and a call to continue highlighting those partnerships into the future.”
Standing beside the Indigenous Business Month movement is our proud and valued continuing platinum sponsors, Dilin Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership and CommBank. We are also pleased to announce that UNSW Business School has joined as a gold level sponsor this year deepening its engagement with the Indigenous Business Month movement over the years. We thank these sponsors for their ongoing commitment to supporting Indigenous businesses.
In addition to announcing this year’s theme and valued sponsors, the co-founders are also excited to announce that this year’s Indigenous Business Month awards are now open.
Indigenous Business Month co-founders share that this year’s campaign also calls on non-Indigenous organisations, government and global partners to reflect:
- What does true allyship look like in practice?
- How are we ensuring First Nations businesses are co-designing, leading and benefiting from meaningful partnerships in our activities?
- Are we shifting decision-making power, safeguarding Indigenous-led procurement, and ensuring Indigenous voices are heard every day – not just in moments of crisis or celebration?
When collaboration is grounded in respect, reciprocity and real partnership, we all benefit. We invite everyone to join us this Indigenous Business Month to spotlight Indigenous excellence, champion collaborative growth, and build a business landscape where First Nations leadership thrives on its own terms – for generations to come.
Co-founders of Indigenous Business Month are excited to announce this year’s theme and that applications for Awards are now open.
Join us this #IndigBizMonth #StrengthThroughCollaboration
Shareable Resources are available for use.
Website: www.Indigenousbusinessmonth.com.au
Media Contact: media@33creative.com.au