12 Melbourne Startup Accelerators – 2019
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In fact it’s so vibrant that you can eat free pizza and attend a bustling Startup event on just about any night of the week! Melbourne’s Startup Accelerators are the engines that help to power innovation in this great city.
With that in mind, we’ve scanned some of the most active Accelerator programs in Melbourne to see what they’re up to and how they describe their offerings.
LaunchHUB is a 12 week accelerator program which supports a cohort of dedicated RMIT founders on the journey to market launch.
The program is designed to help you accelerate your startup’s progress and develop key founder skills for future success. If you’re looking to join a dynamic community of startups working from our Melbourne CBD co-working space, apply for our next LaunchHUB. Participants also have the opportunity to pitch for up to $25k support in the form of an interest free loan.
https://www.rmit.edu.au/for-business/activator/startups/launch
The MAP Accelerator Program is one of Australia’s longest running university Startup accelerators. Open to both for-profit and impact startups, the MAP Accelerator Program is the flagship entrepreneurial initiative of the University of Melbourne.
The program accepts up to 10 high-potential startups per year, who then go through an intensive 5 month journey. Each startup also receives $20,000 of equity-free seed funding, as well as dedicated space in MAP’s co-working office in Melbourne’s CBD.
https://www.themap.co/programs/accelerator
The Skalata Accelerator program is one of the most recent additions to Melbourne’s Startup landscape. The seed investment program is a 6-month customised Accelerator that helps early stage companies navigate the challenges they face in order to grow. In addition to support provided by the Accelerator program, the Skalata companion investment fund can provide up to $250,000 in follow up funding for each company in the program
https://www.skalata.co/about-2
Startmate is one of Australia’s best know Accelerator programs. The Accelerator is an intense 15 weeks designed to help Founders achieve their own company goals. Startmate runs a program in Sydney (from approx January to April) and Melbourne (from approx July to October).
The program begins with a local goal setting retreat. Founders then spend three months in Sydney or Melbourne. Through weekly lunches, dinners and other events, mentors support founders to supercharge their businesses. The official part of the program ends with 2 Demo Days (Sydney & Melbourne) and a week-long immersion trip in San Francisco..
https://startmate.com.au/program
The Generator Accelerator program is a 3 month intensive journey based in Melbourne to accelerate the growth and impact of Startups.
Once a year the Generator Accelerator provides up to $20,000 funding, dedicated co-working space and tailored mentoring to 8-12 early stage startups, researchers or social enterprises affiliated with Monash. They take no equity in the startups that come through the program.
https://www.monash.edu/entrepreneurship/programs/accelerator
For those teams who are ready to take their startups to the next level, SPARK Deakin’s Accelerator Program provides funding, co-working space, connections, mentorship and expertise to accelerate the enterprise. This program is part of Deakin University and is based in Melbourne, The program works to create an outlet for creative talent to collaborate together and take ideas to market.
https://www.sparkdeakin.com/about
This is an intensive 3-month program that provides 10 selected FinTech startups from around the world with hands-on mentorship from over 400+ industry experts, office space in the heart of Melbourne, seed funding, and access to a global network of investors and corporate partners from across the FinTech industry.
Founders work with a group of partners that support the program including NAB, Bupa, Deloitte, Capgemini, DiUS, KHQ Lawyers, YBF Ventures, Pitcher Partners, and global partners AWS and Cisco. The aim of Startup Bootcamp Melbourne is to have Founders work on live PoCs and pilots as a part of the 3 month program so they’re ready to scale.
https://www.startupbootcamp.org/accelerator/fintech-melbourne/
The La Trobe Accelerator Program is a university Accelerator program that provides mentoring, workshops, legal and grant application assistance, and co-working spaces: in return they ask that Founders are dedicated and ready to take their startup idea to the next stage. The La Trobe Accelerator program is an immersive 12-week program willing to take on any entrepreneur across regional and metro Victoria.
https://www.latrobe.edu.au/industry-and-community/research-partnerships-with-industry/accelerator/launch
The Swinburne Innovation Precinct’s Accelerator Program is an intensive program supporting startups to gain early traction in their markets. This is a generalist university accelerator program but they do seek to customise your experience.
Participants in the Swinburne Innovation Precincts Accelerator program receive: $30,000 in equity-free funding for you to work on your startup, access to mentors who have deep industry expertise, co-working at Swinburne University’s Innovation Precinct, access to workshops conducted by facilitators with extensive experience.
https://www.swinburne.edu.au/innovation-precinct/get-involved/accelerator-program/
SheStarts is currently Australia’s only venture-backed startup program designed to help women entrepreneurs build big tech businesses. The program provides access to a huge community of tech leaders, experienced entrepreneurs, corporate champions, investors and advisors. The SheStarts Network is here to help you grow!
In return for 15% equity, BlueChilli provides: A technology team of developers and engineers to create a minimum viable product (MVP). Expertise including an assigned Product Manager and Entrepreneur-in-Residence, market-proven curriculum and a cohort of peers. Co-working space throughout the six-month accelerator program An initial AUD$38,000 to get started, with up to a further AUD$500,000 in follow-on funding available.
City of Melbourne has partnered with RMIT Activator and Hub Australia to present CoM X – a 12 month accelerator program for retail and hospitality focused startups.
CoM X is designed to help startups increase presence in the market, grow their network and achieve early stage traction for their business.
Startups receive support through the RMIT Activator including, access to RMIT Activator’s online platform, enrolment in micro-credentialed courses, face-to-face workshops and masterclasses and involvement in group based accountability sessions with a startup coach, and more.
After completing the program, startups will have opportunities to make connections with City of Melbourne businesses to help expand their venture.
https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/business/start-a-business/startups/Pages/accelerator-program.aspx
CyRise is a venture accelerator, funded by Dimension Data / NTT and Deakin University. The focus is on supercharging the growth of early stage cyber security startups. CyRise are looking for founders from anywhere in the Asia-Pacific region to join them in Melbourne for a four-month, mentor-driven program. CyRise provide $50,000 as part of a capped SAFE note, then work to help make you successful.
https://www.cyrise.co/accelerator.html#programm
So there we have it – 12 Melbourne Startup Accelerator programs! Whichever program you decide is right for you, we wish you the best of luck!
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