Tonsley Connections December 2025

Businesses came together at Mantra Tonsley on Thursday, 4 December, for the Tonsley Connections end‑of‑year gathering.

These events give Tonsley businesses the chance to connect, collaborate, and strengthen the vibrant ecosystem that has been evolving since the Tonsley Innovation District began in 2013. Today, more than 150 businesses call Tonsley home, employing around 2,000 people. Many are start-ups choosing to launch their ventures in an environment where, as the Tonsley catchcry says, they can Think Together and Thrive Together.

At last week’s Tonsley Connections event, Steven Bailey, Engineering Systems and Technology Manager at SAGE Group, shared their growth story, applauding the innovation district for playing a key role in their ongoing success. From humble beginnings as a two-person operation in a garage to establishing a global headquarters at Tonsley and achieving a $150 million international acquisition, SAGE’s journey represents another genuine South Australian success story.

Another speaker at last week’s event was Quentin Roberts, Founder and Managing Director at EfficientSee, Co-founder of the Tonsley Energy Consortium and the driving force behind the annual Future Energy Week event, also held at Tonsley. His speech began with a candid admission: people often think he’s “unusual.” He explained that as a young adult, he started planning the next 50 years of his life in smaller five-year blocks. Quentin encouraged the businesses in the room to think the same way and be part of shaping South Australia’s future. He challenged the 100 or so attendees to spend two hours a week over the next year thinking about an initiative that would make the future better. Collectively, that would amount to 10,000 hours dedicated to building a better tomorrow.

The third speaker at Tonsley Connections was Start-up Success Manager Alex McConville of Stone & Chalk Group, Lot Fourteen’s central hub for start-up businesses. In the almost decade since opening, Alex said more than half a million coffees have been consumed within the walls of this collaborative co-working environment. The community, which fluctuates in size and hosts everything from single-person operations to medium-scale businesses, runs dozens of networking events each year, puts on a community breakfast every Tuesday, offers sweets on Wednesdays, and an open bar called Chalk Chills on Fridays. This environment encourages communication and collaboration. It’s creating business communities that work together to make South Australia a thriving and innovative place to do business.

Rachel Walsh, Director of Growth & Operations at SA Innovations Places within Department of the Premier and Cabinet, served as the MC for the evening.  She shared an update on the SA Innovation Places Framework, a bold initiative designed to connect the state’s innovation districts, business parks, manufacturing precincts, and higher education campuses. By fostering collaboration across these hubs, the framework aims to unlock South Australia’s full potential and position the state as a leading player on the global innovation stage.

Thank you to all who joined us and contributed to a successful and engaging event.

Please note: Tonsley Connections is an event for the members of the Tonsley community. That is, people who work, study or live at Tonsley or are key stakeholders of the innovation district.