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CommBank is committed to helping Australian businesses grow through innovation.

We’ve partnered with the University of Melbourne to provide online innovation training for Australian small and medium businesses through the Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship. 

The program is designed with flexibility in mind so business owners and professionals can learn at a time that suits them, regardless of their schedule or experience.

The cost of the training is covered by CommBank and you don’t need to own a business or bank with CommBank to take part.

You can complete individual modules or the full course. Participants who complete all modules receive a certificate of completion from the Wade Institute.

What you'll learn

Delivered by the Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship, the course is structured across key areas designed to help you build practical innovation capability:

  • Is innovation for me? What does innovation really mean for your business and is it actually within reach? This module cuts through the myths, hears from real Australian business leaders, and builds a practical foundation for thinking about innovation as a skill anyone can learn.
  • Am I solving the right problem? Innovation starts with finding the right problem to solve. This module shows you how to move past the obvious and surface the challenges in your business that are actually worth addressing.
  • Do I understand what my customers need? Understanding what customers truly value and designing for their needs. Moving beyond assumptions to uncover real motivations, frustrations and opportunities to design the products and services needed most by customers.
  • How do I know the best problem to solve? Spotting problems, constraints and early ideas worth pursuing. Developing a practical way to frame challenges, explore them from different angles, and sharpen them into opportunities ready to test or develop.
  • How do I test an idea without spending too much? Testing ideas cheaply before committing significant resources. Building the confidence to try new things through structured, low-risk experiments.
  • How do I grow my business? Finding new ways to create and capture value. Exploring new offers, customer groups and partnerships without overextending the business.
  • How do I get my team to solve problems effectively? Building a team culture where improvement becomes everyone's work. Involving staff in problem-solving and making change easier to adopt.
  • How can the business run smoothly without me? Creating a business that works better for its leaders. Reducing key-person dependency, building systems, and protecting capacity for strategic work.

Who's it for?

Business owners

This course can help business owners identify where innovation already exists in their business – and how to unlock it.

Product owners

Whether you’re managing products, services, or digital experiences, this course can strengthen your ability to align innovation with real customer needs.

Startups

The course can provide practical tools to reduce risk, validate demand, and build momentum quickly.

How it works

Getting started is simple:

  1. Register online
  2. Create your account
  3. Access the learning portal
  4. Complete modules at your own pace

You can stop and start any time to fit learning around your schedule.

The training will be available until 11 December 2026.

Register online

CommBank Business Innovation Awards

Applications open July 2026.

Register your interest

Frequently asked questions

Yes. It is totally free for people who want to undertake the course.

No. You or the business you work for does not need to be a CommBank customer.  

No. You won't need to sign up to a CommBank product to do the course or get a completion certificate.

The Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship is a leading education provider that focuses on entrepreneurship and innovation.

The Wade Institute has spent more than a decade providing premium education programs for entrepreneurs, investors, and changemakers in pursuit of

Offering a mix of online and in person programs, the Wade Institute’s programs are designed to build practical skills, sharpen thinking and successfully innovate through uncertainty. 

It's located on the University of Melbourne campus.  

No, CommBank has partnered with the University of Melbourne to deliver the course through the Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship. You will be directed to the Wade Institute training platform to complete the course.

No. CommBank will not get access to this information.  The information you share with the Wade Institute will be subject to its privacy policy and the terms and conditions of undertaking the course.  

It is estimated to take 10 hours, but you can stop and start as you wish. You can choose to do some of the modules only.  

The course will be open for 6 months, closing on 11 December 2026.

None. The training caters for people with a diverse education background. It's designed around practical techniques and principles that can be applied to problem solving within the context of innovation which can be various disciplines and industries.

The only requirements you will need to register is to be over 18 and access the course in Australia.

If you complete all modules, you'll get a certificate of completion from the Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship. 

While the course is designed for people who work in small or medium businesses, there is no requirement that you must work for one to be able to undertake the course.  

Things you should know

  • The information presented on this webpage includes references to various reports and external training materials. Please access the original source materials to view all relevant disclosures.

    CommBank has partnered with the University of Melbourne to provide online innovation training for Australian small and medium businesses through the Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship.

    Further details on prizes, eligibility, key dates and terms and conditions will be available when open.

    The information is general only and includes references to various reports and external training materials. Please access the original source materials to view all relevant disclosures. CBA does not endorse and makes no representation or warranty, either expressed or implied in relation to the providers, their products or materials.

    This page contains links that will bring you to a third party website, owned and operated by an independent party (“3rd Party Website”). Any link you make to or from the 3rd Party Website will be at your own risk. Any use of the 3rd Party Website will be subject to and any information you provide will be governed by the terms of the 3rd Party Website, including those relating to confidentiality, data privacy and security. CBA does not endorse or approve and makes no warranties, representations or undertakings relating to the content of the 3rd Party Website. CBA disclaims liability for any loss, damage and any other consequence resulting directly or indirectly from or relating to your access to the 3rd Party Website or any information that you may provide or any transaction conducted on or via the 3rd Party Website or the failure of any information, goods or services posted or offered at the 3rd Party Website or any error, omission or misrepresentation on the 3rd Party Website or any computer virus arising from or system failure associated with the 3rd Party Website.