Up to $5,000 is available from INCUBATE Accelerator Program to help early-stage startups to build their product or service.
INCUBATE Accelerator Program
INCUBATE is a startup accelerator program run to support students, alumni, and staff of The University of Sydney to get their startups off the ground. The program takes early-stage startups and provides founders with support, mentorship, office space, and seed funding to help them build their product or service.
Background
The INCUBATE Program has developed from an idea pitched by two entrepreneurial students back in 2012, to be an award-winning early-stage startup accelerator program, launching over 88 startups at The University of Sydney thanks to funding from the University of Sydney Union (USU) and INCUBATE Program Partners and Supporters.
The INCUBATE Program is about growing your contacts, knowledge and skills to build a successful technology-based startup idea. The variety of ideas that have come through the program is huge; from clever keyboards, health and well being aids, sunglasses you can’t lose, genetic profiling, social and community apps, to drones, education, HR and financial transactions. We welcome applications from technical and non-technical founders.
Through the program, you will:
- Set business milestones and/or goals to achieve
- Meet with a board of mentors three times so you understand why a business advisory board is essential for your startup’s growth as well as an external reporting/update mechanism
- Learn a range of relevant skills to apply to your business through workshops led by expert guest speakers. Skills may include: networking, tax and accounting, social media and digital marketing, financial modelling, and more.
Funding
INCUBATE’s accelerator program allows students, staff, and alumni of The University of Sydney to work on their startup ideas and build a business.
Throughout the 14-week program, startup founders will receive:
- Support from industry mentors
- Access to exclusive workshops and masterclasses with guest speakers
- Free access to state-of-the-art office space at The University of Sydney Camperdown campus
- Community events and networking opportunities with VCs and others connected to your industry
- $5000 seed grant
Over the course of the 14 weeks, your startup will learn the skills required to build your business, work on prototypes that you can test within your market, and find customers. We expect that by the end of the program, all startups in the program will have customers and a realistic plan for the company’s future.
In the final week of the program, all startups take part in a big industry event called Demo Day. At the event, your company will ‘pitch’ or present your startup on stage to an audience of 250+ investors, business advisors, media, peers, students, and others.
Eligibility
INCUBATE funds up to 15 high-potential startup teams. This means your business idea will:
- Help solve a problem
- Be a scalable solution
- Will have a big impact on your target market
You will be required to develop your idea into a first-version product or platform, and obtain your first customers within the 3-month program period – all in time to pitch at our Demo Day. Check out the previous startups for an idea of what have been funded in the past and remember: the crazier your idea, the better. Both early-stage and later-stage startups are welcome to apply.
To apply for the INCUBATE Program, at least one startup team co-founder must be:
- Currently enrolled at Sydney University or
- A current researcher or staff at Sydney University or
- An alumnus of Sydney University
Timing
Applications close 18 November 2019.
