Local innovation

Published on 07 May 2024

Home | Let's Lake Mac

Design Anthology isn’t your standard product design and development studio. Driving business growth from its base at Gateshead, this acclaimed agency has played an integral role in transforming Lake Macquarie into a hub for innovation.

And according to Co-founder and Managing Director Josh Jeffress, one of the areas they get especially excited about is start-ups.

“We help them to visualise their idea before guiding them through all the stages of product development – from inception to manufacturing and commercialisation,” Josh said.  

Having delivered more than 100 projects and counting, it’s no wonder these self-proclaimed ‘design junkies’ have already won a Lake Mac Business Excellence Award. That’s not their only accolade either, having recently won two Good Design 2022 Awards among many others. Josh believes that being located in Lake Macquarie has been key to this success.

“I think Lake Macquarie is a great place for people looking to invest or grow their business, thanks to the variety of industries here and the diversity within that,” he said.

Large enough to offer all the growth opportunities needed, yet close-knit enough to facilitate strong connections and genuine feedback on business decisions, the local community supports entrepreneurs from the ground up.

“The networking is amazing, but the even greater thing is that you remain grounded, authentic and honest here. Those qualities have allowed us to grow and then launch into a global space,” Co-founder Aimee Jeffress said.

Lake Macquarie’s great outdoors have also inspired many projects, with new products ranging from dive regulators to ultra-light aircrafts.

“The Interceptor surf ski for lifesavers was a fantastic collaboration – we took production time down from 10-18 weeks to two days, giving them a real competitive advantage,” Aimee said.

But ‘all work and no play’ isn’t something you’ll hear on these shores. Brimming with adventures of all kinds, Lake Macquarie offers innovators the natural playground needed to relax and recharge between brainstorms. In their spare time, Josh and Aimee enjoy everything from bushwalking to brunching – all without leaving the city.

“We can try a new outdoor experience every day. We’re also foodies so the food culture here is a big plus. Lake Macquarie has all of the facilities you could dream of, yet still has that small-town feel,” Aimee said.

Moral of the story? You don’t need skyscrapers to access premium business development services or, in turn, lucrative investments. All sorts of ideas can be transformed into successful ventures with Design Anthology’s award-winning solutions, right here in Lake Macquarie.

---

Related Stories