The COSBOA National Small Business Summit 2026 will be held on 3 to 5 August at the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour.
Australia’s peak small business body is bringing its national Summit back to Sydney in August, with an agenda shaped around the issues that are defining the small business experience in 2026.
The COSBOA National Small Business Summit will run from 3 to 5 August at the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, drawing together association leaders, policy makers, government representatives, regulators, economists and small business owners for two days of focused discussion on the sector’s most pressing challenges and opportunities.
The Sofitel sits along the Darling Harbour waterfront, a 20-minute drive from Sydney Airport and within easy reach of the CBD and public transport. Discounted accommodation rates are available exclusively for Summit attendees.
The agenda in full
The 2026 program is built around ten themes, each reflecting a live pressure point for Australian small businesses. Regulation and compliance leads the agenda, recognising that navigating overlapping and changing requirements continues to consume significant time and resources for small business owners across every industry. Tax and investment settings follow, addressing the policy levers that directly influence whether businesses invest, hire and grow.
Productivity drivers feature as a dedicated theme, alongside AI, cyber security and digital developments, reflecting the growing urgency around both the opportunity and the risk that technology presents for small businesses at different stages of their digital journey.
Competition and fair markets, workforce and skills, and regional realities round out the core business themes, with the Summit also dedicating program time to the state-by-state policy landscape and the broader economic outlook. Real stories from entrepreneurs and a session on political leaders and the policy agenda ensure the program connects lived experience with the decision-making environment.
Media and the small business narrative closes out the themes, recognising that how small business is covered and understood in public discourse shapes the political and policy appetite for reform.
Who it is built for
COSBOA describes the Summit as Australia’s leading event dedicated to strengthening outcomes for the 2.5 million small businesses powering the economy. The program is designed for small business peak bodies and industry associations, CEOs, board directors and senior advocates, government and regulators, policy makers and advisors, business leaders, economists, analysts, and entrepreneurs with direct experience to contribute.
If you influence small business policy, support small business capability, or work at the intersection of business and government, the Summit is built around the conversations that matter to your work. Full registration includes access to all Summit sessions and the exhibition, the Summit dinner, networking drinks, and catering across both days. Early bird registration is open until 31 May 2026, with COSBOA members and associates receiving exclusive early bird pricing. Standard registration opens from 1 June 2026, with invoicing available from that date via direct deposit. Sponsorship and partnership opportunities are also available for organisations looking to engage with the small business community at a national level.
Register now: http://cosboansbs.com.au