The NSW government’s $37 million Business Connect replacement will begin rolling out next month, before commencing its full suite of business support activities in February 2027.
More than a year after quietly ending funding for Business Connect – a program connecting small businesses to specialist advisory services – the state government has formally unveiled its successor.
Dubbed Small Business Advisory, the scheme will offer NSW business owners face-to-face meetings, phone calls, and digital sessions with expert advisors.
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When the full fee-free program commences in February, it will offer specialist, practical guidance to business owners in fields like hospitality and construction.
Targeted regional programs will support businesses outside the major city centres, with a focus on women-led and Indigenous-led enterprises.
The state government says it will also hold local workshops and events, creating networking opportunities for local businesses.
And the Small Business Advisory will offer tailored support to businesses looking to implement new and emerging artificial intelligence tools in their day-to-day operations.
Small Business Advisory to start within weeks
Businesses in NSW will not need to wait until next year for support.
From September 10, an initial Small Business Advisory roll-out will provide one-on-one advisory services, support for multicultural businesses, and networking opportunities.
That limited roll-out will revive some of the services offered by Business Connect, which was effectively stripped of funding in the 2025-26 state budget.
The new-look program will run through the Services NSW Business Bureau, with information available on its website.
“We are ensuring our small business sector has access to high-quality, fee-free support to grow and truly thrive in today’s changing economic landscape,” said Treasurer Daniel Mookhey in a statement.
Minister for Small Business Janelle Saffin called small business owners “some of the hardest working people in NSW,” who face the “perennial challenges” of regulation, disruptive technology, and sustained growth.
“Whether you’re a tradie in Dubbo, a cafe owner in Parramatta, or a tech startup in Tamworth, expert help is now just a phone call, click, or quick visit away,” she added.
The path to Small Business Advisory
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The Minns Labor government faced stiff criticism from both business advocacy groups and the Opposition for its decision not to extend further Business Connect funding in the 2025-26 budget.
In August, Premier Chris Minns said cuts to continued funding were a consequence of necessary government spending on the state’s workers compensation scheme.
After months of tense debate, the state government brokered a compromise with crossbenchers in February to reform that compensation model.
Mookhey said that deal would stabilise its financial security, while preventing a 36% jump in workplace insurance premiums over three years.
At the same time, the state government also pledged to fund a replacement for the Business Connect program.
In March, it tapped notable Australian entrepreneur Mark Bouris to undertake a 90-day review.
Bouris handed his report to the government in May, weeks before the 2026-27 state budget devoted $37 million in funding over four years to the replacement project.
The budget provided few other details about the shape of that new-look support service, but Bouris publicly stated it should focus on emerging AI tools.
“We need to see the same thing, Business Connect, but it now needs to be digital and AI-based,” he told SmartCompany in July.
The Wizard Home Loans founder welcomed Business Advisory Service’s new AI focus on Friday.
“It drops the bureaucracy and delivers real-world strategies — from mastering financial literacy and
cash flow to harnessing AI — giving Aussie business owners the competitive edge they deserve,” he said.
The September extension
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Although the full suite of advisory services will not come online until early next year, the Minns government may be warding off a political headache by introducing limited support services from September 10.
Were it not for that early-access program, the state would have gone a full year, from announcement to launch, without the dedicated, government-backed business advisory service in place.
With a state election slated for March 2027 – and an Opposition itself keen on doubling funding for the Business Connect program – that gap may have posed a problem for Labor and its business outreach plans.
In the Friday statement, Saffin said the measure, including its September start date, “recognises the contribution” small businesses make to the state economy.