The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has announced that this year’s Honey Bee Hackathon is to be held on 5 and 6 November.
The Department said previous events had led to a new line of honey-based cosmetics, medicinal bee venom harvesting and honey-based wine.
The hackathon is hosted by the DPIRD, together with the University of Western Australia’s Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Honey Bee Products and the Bee Industry Council of WA.
The Department said it expected about 50 entrepreneurs, scientists, beekeepers and university students to attend, putting their marketing and problem-solving skills to the test.
DPIRD said commercial beekeepers, honey bee product packers and successful project development businesses would talk to participants about their ideas before they underwent a panel evaluation.
It said the participant with the best concept, which provided an opportunity to value-add to the honey industry in Western Australia, would receive $500 to progress their idea.
Chief Executive Officer of Honey Bee Products CRC, Liz Barbour said the State’s honey bee industry was currently valued at $50 million at the farm gate, but had the goal to grow to $100 million by 2030.
“To reach this industry goal, changes in thinking on honey bee product marketing are needed and events such as this are a great way to inspire innovative ideas and approaches,” Ms Barbour said.
Agribusiness Development Consultant at DPIRD, Gerard Leddin said Western Australia had the advantage of having ‘clean’ bees, which were free from many pests and diseases, and sustainable products.
“The Department is working with the honey industry to support market development opportunities that enable the industry to grow,” Mr Leddin said.
