Started in 2017 through collaboration between The University of Canberra, Service One and the Canberra Innovation Network (CBRIN), The Mill House Ventures has spent the last 8 years providing bespoke programs, tailored consulting, and student partnerships to give Social Enterprise in Canberra and the surrounding region the tools and support needed to thrive in the business environment. The Mill House Ventures is an integral part of the wider Canberra Innovation Ecosystem and our focus lies in fostering economic development while generating tangible and traceable public benefits. 

What is a social enterprise?

A social enterprise is an organisation or business entity that applies commercial strategies to achieve social or environmental objectives. Unlike traditional for-profit businesses, which primarily focus on maximizing profits for shareholders, social enterprises prioritize generating positive social or environmental impact alongside financial sustainability. Social enterprises are an innovative breed of businesses that exist to create a fairer and more sustainable world. While in Australia there is no legal structure that distinguishes regular enterprise from social enterprise, the following criteria are generally accepted as the requirement:

1. Have a defined primary social, cultural or environmental purpose consistent with a public or community benefit, and
2. Derive a substantial portion of their income from trade, and
3. Invest efforts and resources into their purpose such that public/community benefit outweighs private benefit.