Orchard Exchange! Peer Learning Circle for Regenerative Enterprises

Join us for Regen Labs' learning circle for regenerative enterprises

Welcome to the second gathering of the Orchard Exchange. 

Over the past four years, our team at Regen Labs has connected with a growing number of regenerative enterprises, driven by community-based entrepreneurs in regional Australia.

Regen enterprises come from multiple-sectors - from tourism, the arts, food systems, manufacturing, energy, and more.

Together, they are catalysing a bigger shift to a regenerative economy that supports vibrant, resilient, healthy communities and natural ecosystems.

Regen Labs is on a mission to nurture the conditions that support regenerative enterprises to flourish.

We are delighted to host our second peer learning circle for regenerative enterprises, we affectionately call the Orchard Exchange.

When: 20th November, 3:00-4:30pm (AEST) (bi-monthly)

Where: Online

Registration: FREE

This is a space for regen-preneurs to:

• connect with one another
• seed ideas and actively collaborate
• gain insights into catalytic and regenerative finance and a regen economy
• test and iterate ideas and business models for greater regeneration
• feel re-energised and regenerated themselves

Our guest nourisher is Felicity Jacob, CEO of Common Ground Project. She will be sharing the business model and story of this regenerative farm and social enterprise. 

Common Ground Project promotes food security by creating fair access to locally grown, healthy food. It exists to empower agency and advocacy by offering an inclusive space for growing, cooking, knowledge sharing, and ongoing community collaboration. Common Ground Project also provides hands-on workshops, training and employment pathways through its Food Knowledge programs, which directly supports its our Food Relief efforts in the Geelong region. 

Grounded in regenerative farming, and in recognition of the urgent need for a more resilient food system, Common Ground Project believes that connection to land, food and community can drive real, meaningful social change. 2023 and 2024 have seen some huge additions to their beautiful space, with a new cafe and Food Hub now permanently on-site.

Felicity (Flick) has a deep love for all things food, farming, nature, community and education. She truly believes that connection to and care for land, food and community will be fundamental in creating a fair and regenerative society.  Taking a roundabout journey to get to what she calls her 'dream job', Flick began her career working in corporate sustainability consulting, before moving to Japan to become a farmer and connect back with the soil, seasons and rural communities. Landing back home to the Surf Coast, Flick is now dedicated to working towards Common Ground Project's vision to connect and empower the community to support a fairer and more regenerative food and farming system for all.

We look forward to meeting you and walking together on the journey of regeneration, activating the power of regenerative enterprise to transform Australia.

Regen Labs Team

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READ ON FOR MORE DETAILS….

Who is this for?

This is a space for regenerative enterprises, from across sectors, actively engaged in uplifting their places socially, culturally, ecologically, and economically. You're keen to join a growing community of regen-preneurs and you’re likely doing a little or a lot of the following:

• Growing social and community resilience
• Restoring biodiversity and regenerating natural systems
• Supporting First Nations aspirations
• Stimulating regenerative economic development
• Improving food security
• Decentralising finance
• Building community wealth and more!

Does this sound like you?

What will our sessions involve?

Our peer-learning sessions are interactive and participatory, insightful and energising.

They include a mixture of:

• guest speakers sharing their enterprise and experience,
• practice with a regenerative framework to strengthen or evolve your enterprise,
• insights and case examples, relevant to participants,
• peer-learning conversations around an opportunity, challenge, or question
• reflection to grow as a regenerative entrepreneur
• Generosity of spirit and diversity of thought, which regen-preneurs have in spades (of great compost), are key nutrients to Orchard Exchanges.

Your learning circle facilitators

Dr Dimity Podger is co-founder of Regen Labs. She builds on the work she led as Regenerative Communities Project Manager with the Innovate to Regenerate team at WWF-Australia, working deeply with 3 regional communities, over a period of 18 months, growing a cohort of 65+ regenerative enterprises, and supportive partners.  Dimity has also served the Regen Places Network as co-convenor, led her own purpose-led enterprise advisory business, designed and facilitated peer-learning circles for The Regenerative Life Short Course, a masterclass series: Leading with nobility for a new era, and facilitated the The Regenerative Life Short Course for regenerative leadership.  She brings her passion for regeneration, regional entrepreneurship, and community catalysts and 20 years experience in leadership development, action learning, learning design and facilitation to the Orchard Exchange.  She resides on the lands of the Wodi Wodi people, on Dharawal Country. 

Reece Proudfoot is Co-Founder at Regen Labs, and a speaker on Regenerative Economy, Innovation and Impact Investing. Reece's work at Regen Labs sees him working alongside a new breed of "Regenerative Enterprises" - businesses with positive social, environmental and local economic impact in sectors, such as energy & carbon, food & fibre, health, education, tourism, finance, manufacturing and FMCG.   Reece was previously Head of Innovation and Impact Investment at WWF-Australia, achieving the AFR 'Most Innovative Company ' award in 2018. While at WWF he co-founded 'Panda Labs', WWF-Australia's innovation accelerator, which has now scaled into 12 countries in the WWF global network. He also led the Innovate to Regenerate Challenge, which deployed $2 million in seed funding to regenerative enterprises. His work focuses on ensuring regional communities are benefitting from the nationwide shift to a regenerative economy. His current focus with Regen Labs is on supporting the regenerative enterprise and regenerative finance sectors, working hand in hand with local communities, corporates, impact investors and governments. Reece lives and works on Gundungurra Country. 

Phil is a change-maker, alliance builder and co-founder of Regen Labs. Phil is a founding team member and Director of Impact at OpenSC.org (a successful food sustainability tech venture).  After starting his career in corporate environmental law, Phil spent 15 years helping to build the ‘climate movement’ in Australia. At the Australian Conservation Foundation he convened broad alliances including the Southern Cross Climate Coalition and ‘Say Yes’, and helped deliver Al Gore’s first two ‘Climate Project’ trainings in Australia. As Head of Engagement at WWF-Australia, Phil led community engagement campaigns like Earth Hour and Fight for the Reef. He also helped instigate WWF’s innovation program ‘Panda Labs’, before joining its first spin-off impact venture - OpenSC. Phil is passionate about the roles entrepreneurs, investors and community can play in the transition to a regenerative economy. Phil is proud of his family’s rich heritage combining Pacific islander, Chinese and Jewish German cultures, and honoured to live and work on Gadigal land in Sydney.

Regen Labs Contact details: 

Feel free to email dimity@regenlabs.au if you have any questions. Please share this event with regen-preneurs who you think would benefit.