Best Innovation Consulting Services in Australia

Australia Innovation Consultants

Australia’s innovation landscape is quietly becoming one of the most mature in the world, with homegrown consultancies leading the charge. These aren’t trendy brainstorming shops; they’re trusted, research-backed firms building repeatable innovation models and culture-driven transformation strategies.

This article highlights standout innovation consulting firms based in Australia, each carefully selected for their client results, frameworks, and local leadership.

Methodology: How We Chose These Australia-based Innovation Consulting Services

To ensure credibility and consistency, we only featured firms that meet the following standards:

📊 Research-driven: Each firm provides verified results: documented methodologies, frameworks, or public case studies.

🗣 Client-reviewed: Real feedback, testimonials, and ROI shared publicly or confirmed via partnerships.

🌏 Location-based: Based in Australia or led by founders rooted in the Australian innovation ecosystem.

🌟 Australia Innovation Consultants - Featured Providers

Accelerated Innovation

What they do:‍

Accelerated Innovation runs structured innovation sprints, internal capability-building programs, and cross-sector transformation labs. Their strength lies in converting complex stakeholder ecosystems into actionable change plans.

Who they work with:

‍Healthcare networks, public sector organizations, and education institutions.

Operating model:

‍Sprint-based delivery paired with client-led implementation frameworks.

💡 Why they stand out:

📚 Documented co-design and stakeholder frameworks

🏥 Deep traction in healthcare and regulated environments

🔁 Emphasis on internal adoption and post-engagement sustainability

David Worldon, Founder & Principal Consultant of Accelerated Innovation

David has over 15 years of experience in innovation management, stakeholder co-creation, and government transformation projects. His leadership style is facilitative and systems-focused, often bridging gaps between policy, operations, and design. Known for building sustainable innovation programs, David’s approach has been adopted by public health agencies and government-funded initiatives across Australia.

Innovation Transformation

What they do:

‍This consultancy focuses on innovation culture, leadership coaching, and transformation strategy with a long-term view. Their programs are built to shift behaviours, not just launch new ideas.

Who they work with:

‍State governments, universities, non-profits, and large public institutions.

Operating model:‍

Multi-phase programs with embedded change specialists and executive-level alignment.

💡 Why they stand out:

🧭 Specialists in government innovation systems

🔄 Long-term engagement models, not one-off workshops

📐 Alignment between digital strategy and human-centered leadership

Robin Mack, Founder & CEO of Innovation Transformation

Robin brings decades of experience leading innovation within public sector and educational settings. Her leadership is grounded in behavioural change, focusing on how to scale innovation mindsets across entire departments. She has built internal innovation hubs within Australian state governments and is frequently engaged to advise on cross-functional transformation.

Small and Mighty Group

What they do:

‍A boutique consultancy delivering innovation strategy, facilitation, and systems thinking, especially for values-aligned, mission-driven teams.

Who they work with:

Not-for-profits, early-stage ventures, and social impact organizations.

Operating model:

‍Embedded advisory and project-based innovation strategy engagements.

💡 Why they stand out:

🌱 Deeply trusted in the social impact and nonprofit space

🧭 Values-led decision-making and systems design

💬 Highly participatory, bottom-up innovation style

Tara James, Founder & Managing Director of Small and Mighty Group

Tara brings a background in design strategy, systems thinking, and community-based innovation. She’s known for her collaborative leadership approach, often co-creating solutions directly with stakeholders and front-line teams. Tara has led innovation strategy for local councils, NGOs, and grassroots health initiatives across Australia.

Pottinger

What they do:

‍Pottinger is a strategic advisory firm that integrates innovation into its core transformation services. They work at the intersection of long-term strategy, financial outcomes, and scalable change.

Who they work with:‍

ASX-listed companies, multinationals, and financial services institutions.

Operating model:‍

High-level strategy engagements with innovation, ESG, and digital integration.

💡 Why they stand out:

📊 Merges innovation strategy with financial and capital planning

🧠 Proprietary frameworks for long-horizon decision-making

🌍 Global partnerships across sectors and borders

Cassandra Kelly AM, Co-Founder of Pottinger

Cassandra is an internationally recognised advisor, board director, and advocate for ethical leadership. As co-founder of Pottinger, she played a pivotal role in shaping its values-driven model, where strategic advice is inseparable from social responsibility. She is known for guiding some of the world’s largest institutions through change with clarity and compassion. Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), Cassandra has also served as a trusted advisor to UN Women and the G20. Her leadership approach is principled, visionary, and deeply human.

Nigel Lake, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of Pottinger

Nigel brings over three decades of global experience in strategy and corporate finance. A published author and speaker on strategy, innovation, and leadership, he is a champion of Destination-Led Strategy, Pottinger’s proprietary approach to aligning today’s choices with long-term aspirations. Nigel’s work spans continents and sectors, from advising central banks to guiding startups. He’s known for his systems-level thinking and ability to simplify complexity without losing nuance.

John Sheehy, CEO of Pottinger

John leads Pottinger’s client delivery with a focus on transformational strategy, M&A, and innovation execution. With deep expertise in government advisory and regulated industries, he works closely with leaders to plan for uncertainty and build long-term value. John’s leadership style is pragmatic, thorough, and collaborative, often called upon to lead high-stakes initiatives involving multi-stakeholder environments. His work bridges strategic vision with real-world implementation.

The Design Thinkers

What they do:

‍The Design Thinkers is a consultancy specializing in human-centered design, service innovation, and strategy co-creation. They help public and private organizations use design-led thinking to uncover insight and shape services around real needs.

Who they work with:

‍Local councils, state government departments, and health service providers.

Operating model:

‍Deep immersion design sprints, stakeholder research, and experience prototyping.

💡 Why they stand out:

👥 Proven experience facilitating diverse, multi-stakeholder design processes

🔍 Experts in qualitative insight and empathy mapping

🧭 Known for guiding service transformation in high-stakes government environments

Nicola Mansfield, Founder & Chief Thinker of The Design Thinkers

Nicola is a human-centered design specialist with a background in urban planning, social research, and facilitation. She’s known for designing inclusive innovation environments, particularly within public institutions where community participation is essential. Nicola has led large-scale service design programs in health, infrastructure, and local government across Australia.

Australia’s Innovation Consulting Shift: Strategy, Insight, and Impact

Innovation consulting in Australia is undergoing a dynamic transformation, driven by specialists who combine strategic thinking with practical design methodologies. These services range from design thinking and agile transformation to leadership coaching and risk management. Across the sector, there's a strong emphasis on solving real-world challenges, enhancing organisational culture, and building future-ready capabilities. Consultants bring diverse expertise, from digital innovation and strategic foresight to operational efficiency, tailored to both public and private sectors. This evolution underscores the relevance of innovation consulting as a key lever for sustainable business growth and adaptability in Australia’s competitive landscape.

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The push for innovation is nothing without the clarity to act on it. This clarity begins with insights that challenge assumptions, validate direction, and align execution with real ambition. From marketing to operations, and talent to finance, every discipline is redefined by how well it learns, adapts, and delivers. Start that shift with confidence, begin at Digital Reference.