Kingston Entrepreneur Scales Tech Firm Through Canberra Winter

Jamie Torres launched Torres Digital from a shared desk in Kingston in March 2025 and now runs a 12-person team that specialises in backup systems for small firms.

The timing matters because national network failures this month left many Canberra businesses without reliable connectivity for hours, pushing owners to seek local alternatives that do not rely on single providers.

Kingston base and Braddon clients

Torres Digital occupies a ground-floor suite on Jardine Street in Kingston Foreshore and counts several Manuka cafes among its first paying customers. The firm also works with the ACT Small Business Commissioner’s office on a pilot that tests low-cost failover tools for retailers along Lonsdale Street in Braddon.

Those two neighbourhoods give Torres direct access to foot traffic data and after-hours support requests that remote providers often miss.

Internal records show the company booked 47 new contracts between 1 January and 30 June this year, with average monthly retainers sitting at $380 per client. Torres raised $420,000 from three local angel investors on 15 April to hire two more technicians and lease extra rack space at a data centre near Canberra Airport.

Next steps for owners

Businesses can book a 30-minute audit at the Kingston office for $150, with the fee waived if they sign a six-month contract. Torres plans to open a second location near the University of Canberra by early 2027 if winter demand holds.

Owners worried about another outage can start with a free checklist available on the company site or drop by the Jardine Street office before the end of July.