INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Providing programs and materials to support neurodivergent individuals navigate the entrepreneurial journey.

Providing materials for employers to support their employees harness diversity of thought in intrapreneurship programs.

1. Developing the Entrepreneurial Mindset

This information pertains to supporting individuals with ADHD develop a mindset that is conducive to entrepreneurial activities. The two main learning objectives for this resource are:

• Understanding what your mindset is

• Understanding what you can do to channel an entrepreneurial mindset

2. The Entrepreneur’s Life Cycle

This information aims to support individuals with ADHD understand and prepare for the various stages of the entrepreneurial journey. The two main learning objectives for this resource are:

• Understanding what stage of the entrepreneurial life cycle you are in

• Understanding what you can do to be successful in each stage of the entrepreneurial life cycle

3. Finding Inspiration and Idea Generation

This resource contains information for neurodiverse individuals on finding inspiration for innovative ideas and learning frameworks for idea generation. The two main learning objectives for this resource are:

• Understanding what your area of interest and passion is

• Understanding some helpful strategies to generate new ideas

4. Building a Support Network 

This information pertains to supporting neurodiverse individuals build a support network for engaging in entrepreneurial activities. The two main learning objectives for this resource are:

• Understanding what a support system for entrepreneurship entails

• Understanding how to build connections and maintain professional relationships

5. Successful Neurodiverse Entrepreneurs

Navigating the entrepreneurial journey can be daunting, so we have detailed the journeys of six successful entrepreneurs to provide better insight into the process – from a neurodiverse individual’s perspective!

Each entrepreneur works in a different industry and comes from a different personal background. For each entrepreneur, we have included information on the challenges they faced growing up and in business, their strategies for utilising their neurodiversity, their rise to success, and their advice for budding entrepreneurs like you.

Remember: Everyone’s journey is different. There is no one correct path when it comes to entrepreneurship; so make sure you stay true to yourself and recognise your own unique strengths and challenges.

6. Resources for Employers

These resources aim to help employers harness diversity of thought in intrapreneurship and other innovative team programs and projects.

7. Worksheets and Other Resources

These worksheets and templates are to be used in conjunction with the resources above, and include:

• IBA International Entrepreneurship Workbook (developed by Dr. Tamara Stenn)

  • Use page 3-4 to identify what are the strengths and weaknesses you have during each stage of the entrepreneurial life cycle. Use these insights to determine what sort of team members you need to involve to assist in areas you are not familiar with or struggle with.

  • Use page 5-18 to identify what your passions are, what specific problem you want to address and the solution you hope to provide.

• Business Model Canvas. Please refer to this two minute instructional video to get you started.

• Business Plan Template to be used in conjunction with this guide from the Small Business Development Corporation of Western Australia.

• Thinking Talents Map

  • Use the Thinking Talent Characteristics document to note down which Thinking Talents and Shadow Attributes best apply to you.

  • Divide your selected Thinking Talents into one of four categories (Analytic, Innovative, Procedural, Relational) using the Thinking Talents Map Template document. You can use the Thinking Talents Map Guideline to help you understand which talents fall under each category.

CONFERENCES

PROJECTS

TOM@University program - SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY

A project conducted during the second half of 2020 focused on improving the accessibility of financial services and products to the neurodiverse cohort.

Refer to the Project Summary for further information. Also attached is a recent research publication: “Inclusive banking for autistic adults 2020” by Dr Ru Ying Cai & Vicki Gibbs.

NOTE: These resources have been curated by Xialene Chang, Melbourne, Australia (Untapped intern - June-December 2020)