What is LaunchVic?
LaunchVic is an initiative investing in ideas and solutions to grow Victoria’s startup ecosystem for entrepreneurial success.
LaunchVic’s fourth funding grant round will focus on building capability and excellence, by funding organisation(s) to deliver world-class accelerator program(s) that will further enhance the Victorian startup ecosystem.
While LaunchVic has invested in a number of accelerators to date, LaunchVic is seeking to invest in a world-class acceleration program that will support global excellence in the provision of services, and global connectivity to help accelerate the very best startups to achieve on an international scale. The program must be delivered in Melbourne, and help contribute to the growth of the local ecosystem, beyond simply offering an accelerator program.
Background
LaunchVic was established in 2016 by the Victorian Government to support the development and growth of the local startup ecosystem. Since its establishment, LaunchVic has run two successful funding rounds, supporting 26 projects that will help grow the ecosystem and ensure the right startup infrastructure is in place for Victorian startups and startup entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.
LaunchVic has also reviewed its strategy to ensure the company is best placed to provide more support to stakeholders and address identified market failures that inhibit the growth of the startup ecosystem. In developing its forward strategy LaunchVic has identified key areas of focus that include: engaging the Victorian community in the startup ecosystem to address market failures; and positioning Victoria as a world-class internationally recognised startup ecosystem.
As a part of its revised strategy, LaunchVic will provide frequent funding opportunities, including grant rounds, for stakeholders to access funds to support programs that will grow the local startup community. Funding opportunities will address specific needs in the ecosystem, including increasing diversity and inclusion; and driving capability and excellence.
Objectives
LaunchVic works in partnership with entrepreneurs, industry, business, the community and our educational institutions to strengthen Victoria’s entrepreneurial and startup ecosystem. Its focus is to invest in the infrastructure of Victoria’s startup ecosystem to:
- Increase Scale – More people, firms and entrepreneurial activity.
- Improve Capability – Better, more capable startups and entrepreneurs.
Over the next four years LaunchVic will focus on a comprehensive program, including:
- Support – Expanding the capacity of accelerators and infrastructure in Victoria.
- Mentoring – Entrepreneur mentoring, scholarships and corporate placement programs.
- Access – Helping entrepreneurs find ways to better navigate the system.
- Visibility – Events and marketing campaigns to profile Victoria’s startups locally, and ecosystem internationally.
- Overseas Talent – Attracting high profile entrepreneurs and global thought leaders to Victoria.
- Government Policy – Advocacy around Commonwealth legislation and regulation affecting startups and entrepreneurial enterprises.
Funding
LaunchVic is seeking to invest between $50,000 and $500,000 per application for programs that run up to 2 years. Applications requesting more than $500,000 will be considered, but must be exceptional!
Case Studies
LOKE has developed a cloud-based mobile payment and loyalty platform that enables merchants to deploy and manage their own branded loyalty product. LOKE has just opened funding to raise $1 million that will help facilitate the creation of 50 new jobs over the next three years. This follows a recent announcement that the company will partner with leading digital payment giant PayPal to enable customers to connect their existing PayPal account with any of LOKE’s apps for both in-store and in-app purchases.
Timelio’s unique peer-to-peer lending platform enables Australian businesses to raise funds by selling their customer invoices. Timelio’s service is primarily designed for small to medium enterprises that require cash flow but typically have to wait up to 90 days for their corporate clients to settle invoices.
Eligibility
Applicants will need to address the eligibility criteria via the LaunchVic online application system. You must identify the type of organisation and project focus.
Type of Organisation
The types of organisations that are eligible to apply for Round 3 grant funding include a:
- registered company headquartered in Victoria; or
- registered company with offices in Victoria; or
- registered company located outside of Victoria proposing a project to be delivered in Victoria; or
- unregistered company that agrees to setup a registered company in Victoria
Project Focus
The project must primarily benefit Victorian migrant and/or refugees
The project must also primarily benefit:
- existing startups; and/or
- entrepreneurs looking to launch a startup (startup entrepreneurs)
Note: Any unsuccessful application submitted in Round 1 and Round 2 may be resubmitted in Round 3, however applicants must use the LaunchVic online application system and update the application as per the key assessment criteria to be assessed.
Round 8 LaunchVic Recipients
| Organisation | Project | Funding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flinders University | The Victorian Medical Device Partnering Program | $2,005,100 | The Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP)fuels the medical device innovation pipeline. As an ideas incubator, it delivers product prototypes aligned to identified global markets. It takes ideas from companies at all stages of their life cycle and turns them into investable technologies. MDPP has operated for 10 years in the South Australian medical device sector, this funding will allow the expansion of the current program to Victoria. In partnership with Swinburne University of Technology, CSIRO, The University of Melbourne, Monash University, RMIT, Australian National Fabrication Facility and Biomedical Research Victoria, the Victorian program will support up to: 200 new ideas evaluated by the program leading to fast fail or rapid progress; 120 collaborative workshops that connect entrepreneurs and leverage expertise; 40 proof of concept, prototype or clinical/market validation projects completed with detailed market research reports; 20 new companies established; and 100 jobs created. |
| The Royal Melbourne Hospital | The Victorian Health Network Accelerator (VHNx) | $995,120 | The Victorian Health Network Accelerator (VHNx) project is led by Melbourne Health, Potential(x) and the Health Round Table in partnership with Bendigo Health. The project consists of two centrally coordinated hospital accelerator programs: The Melbourne Health Accelerator (MHx) program delivered at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in 2019; and the new Bendigo Health Accelerator (BHx) program, delivered at Bendigo Hospital in 2020. VHNx will provide a clear path for early-stage startups to access hospitals and engage with clinicians where both sectors will thrive in a shared and facilitated platform of networking and collaboration. 20 startups, who aim to solve identified healthtech problems, will be supported through the programs. |
| The Actuator | Scaling Medtech innovation from Victorian hospitals | $950,000 | The Melbourne-based Actuator is one of Australia’s premier MedTech commercialisation initiatives. the Actuator partner with hospitals across Victoria to drive clinically-led innovations and provide a pathway for hospital entrepreneurs and startups to access the Actuator accelerator and MedTech’s Got Talent programs. The project consists of three programs: educational workshops, commercialisation bootcamps and hackathons for up to 450 hospital students, clinicians and staff; a pre-seed accelerator program for up-to 35 entrepreneurs; and the Actuator accelerator program for up to 40 startups. The Actuator will also provide a gateway for clinical professionals to become integrated into a healthcare-focused angel network. |
| Artesian Venture Partners | Victorian Angel Investor Education Project | $250,000 | Artesian Venture Partners in collaboration with Decode System, The Actuator, Peak15 HealthTech and VentureCrowd will develop and deliver a range of targeted investor education workshops, webinars and community events focused on investing in Victorian healthtech startups within medtech, biotech, pharma, health & ageing services and disability services. Events and online sessions will target 500 potential and active angel investors, particularly clinicians, over 2 years. Through project partnerships, angels will be exposed to a pipeline of investible Victorian healthtech startups. The project will build a sustainable investor education platform which will continue to educate angels beyond the project. |
| Australia China Health Accelerator (ACHA) | HealthTech Export Strategies for Asia markets | $250,000 | Australia China Health Accelerator (ACHA) will provide a direct pathway to Asia for Victorian Health Startup founders and senior executives. This program is designed to build solid and real understanding of Asian market opportunities, risks and pathways. The 6 week program will be delivered 4 times and support 32 health startup founders/senior executives. The program focuses on healthtech export opportunities and challenges in Asia and will include: lectures, seminars, discussion groups; interactive sessions in areas such as IP protection strategy development; live webinars for regional participants; and mentoring. |
| BioMelbourne Network | HealthTech Reimbursement: Getting Paid in the USA | $114,000 | Healthcare in the US is complex. This project brings US reimbursement experts to Melbourne to deliver masterclass modules to startup founders on US reimbursement strategy. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the critical topics of coding, coverage and payment, and the clinical and health economic data needed to demonstrate value in the US healthcare market. The program includes 3 masterclass modules and seminars. Selected participants will have a unique in-market experiential education opportunity to connect with providers, payors and partners in Medical Alley, a leading healthtech cluster in Minneapolis, USA. |
| ANDHealth | B.R.I.G.H.T Future for Digital Health Innovators | $250,000 | This 2 year project utilises Planet Innovation’s proven BRIGHT Process framework alongside the digital health expertise of ANDHealth. This framework is taught through interactive workshops, including immersion with frontline clinicians, pharmaceutical companies and industry leaders, and transfers practical skills and re-usable models to help founders solve many commercial issues faced by early-stage digital health companies. The Project will combine ANDHealth’s network of digital health expertise with Planet Innovation’s unique innovation framework to provide tailored advice and thinking models to digital health startup founders and companies to reach successful commercialisation. |
Round 7 LaunchVic Recipients
| Organisation | Project | Funding | Project Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barayamal | Victoria’s Indigenous Business Accelerator Program | $500,000 | As Australia’s first Indigenous focused startup accelerator, Barayamal will deliver a world-class accelerator program for innovative Aboriginal startups from Victoria. Underpinned by a deep understanding of the factors for successful global entrepreneurship, this program will provide effective and culturally appropriate support, at each stage, from concept development to standalone businesses. The project will support Aboriginal startups and entrepreneurs through a pre-accelerator and a full accelerator program. Over the full program, the startups will rapidly develop their businesses and showcase their success at a national pitch night event in Melbourne. |
| Global Sisters | Startup Thinking and Incubation for Regional Victorian Aboriginal Women | $268,000 | Global Sisters provides women with the tools, networks and resources to accelerate an idea into a thriving business. In collaboration with Aboriginal community partners, the Global Sisters program will grow the pipeline of Aboriginal entrepreneurs in regional Victoria. Global Sisters’ Aboriginal women in regional Victorian locations will be introduced to startup thinking and have the opportunity to progress through to a tailored and responsive business incubation program that focuses on accessing disruptive online markets. |
| Ngarrimili | Project Ngarrimili: Igniting and Nurturing Aboriginal Excellence | $492,500 | Project Ngarrimili is a partnership between Strong Brother Strong Sister and Impact Co and represents the bringing together of Aboriginal leadership and industry experts. Meaning ‘to dance’ in Wadawurrung, Ngarrimili will inspire and nurture entrepreneurial excellence amongst Aboriginal communities across Victoria via three programs: Ignite: workshops to ignite local Aboriginal people to pursue entrepreneurship. Accelerate: workshops to support pre-revenue startups led by Aboriginal people to articulate and validate their concepts. Enhance: an incubator program for Aboriginal-led ventures designed to support cultural wellbeing and commercial needs. |
| RMIT University | Ngamai Moorroop Wilin: Ngamai Meetups – Building the Community | $110,000 | The aim of this project is to establish a cohort of entrepreneurs who will engage Aboriginal enterprises within an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business ecosystem through regular meetups in Melbourne and regional Victoria. The Ngamai Meetups have been co-created with Elder Aunty Carolyn Briggs who named the Project using Boon Wurrung language, Ngamai Moorroop Wilin (light the spirit of the fire). They will target diverse members of the Victorian Aboriginal community and are designed to retain a cohort of highly engaged Aboriginal entrepreneurs. |
Round 6 LaunchVic Recipients
| Lead Council | Funding | Project | Project Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Ballarat | $100,000 | STARTUP BALLARAT! | City of Ballarat to run STARTUP BALLARAT! a program of meetups, hackathons, masterclasses and coworking trials. The program will address gaps for early-stage startups in the local community and aims to create a stronger startup brand for Ballarat to attract more founders, talent and investment. |
| Benalla Rural City Council | $400,000 Innovate NE Vic | Startup Shakeup – Innovate North East Vic Startups | Benalla Rural City Council with Rural City of Wangaratta, Mansfield Shire Council and Indigo Shire Council as a consortium, will run Startup Shakeup – Innovate North East Vic Startups, a program of events to build startup capacity in North East Victoria. The program includes four Hyper-local Ideas Fests, one in each municipality, to solve the region’s problems and create momentum for the bootcamps, mentoring, and meetups. The program will culminate in an annual Pitchfest and an annual North East Innovation Conference. |
| Brimbank City Council | $100,000 | iHarvest Program | The iHarvest program will support the establishment of iHarvest Coworking Sunshine within the Brimbank Community and Civic Centre and deliver a program of meetups, mentoring and masterclasses for startups and entrepreneurs along with facilitating coworking placements. |
| City of Casey | $198,250 | The INNovation Crowd | City of Casey in partnership with Cardinia Shire Council will run The INNovation Crowd, a program that will deliver events including meetups, hackathons, masterclasses, workshops, a bootcamp and a major Business Expo and Pitchfest. The program will also offer mentoring via an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Casey Cardinia Business Hub and online mentoring sessions. Five local founders will also have an opportunity to be selected for kick-starter funding. |
| City of Greater Dandenong | $100,000 | Greater Dandenong Startup Hub | City of Greater Dandenong will activate the Greater Dandenong Startup Hub through workshops, hackathons, coworking memberships, mentoring and masterclasses to accelerate local entrepreneurship skill sets. The program will provide opportunities for the next generation of local entrepreneurs in this culturally diverse business minded municipality. |
| Hume City Council | $86,500 | Creating a startup ecosystem in Hume | Hume City Council will run Creating a startup ecosystem in Hume to support new startups through meetups, mentoring and hackathons. Transport & Logistics and Warehousing & Manufacturing are two of the largest industries in the municipality with local startups strongly encouraged to help drive startup entrepreneurship for these industries. |
| Latrobe City Council | $400,000 | Startup Gippsland | Latrobe City Council with Bass Coast Shire Council, Wellington Shire Council and Baw Baw Shire Council as a consortium, will run Startup Gippsland, a cohesive array of programs aiming to grow the Gippsland startup ecosystem. The program includes meetups, masterclasses, a comprehensive mentoring program and major events to help Gippsland startups become accelerator-ready. |
| Maribyrnong City Council | $100,000 | CoConnected | Maribyrnong City Council will run CoConnected – a program connecting startups in the West; a series of events designed to meet the challenges of Maribyrnong’s culturally diverse communities, and young people. The project will link the City’s CALD communities to opportunities in Melbourne’s west creating an avenue to market for inner west startups. |
| Melton City Council | $88,960 | The Hot House Project | Melton City Council will run The Hot House Project, a three-phase program featuring workshops, networking events, mentoring, masterclasses, coworking space access and hackathons. The program will support local startup talent to take their ideas to the next level. |
| Mildura Rural City Council | $50,000 | ‘Magnify’ Mildura – creating jobs for the future | Mildura Rural City Council will run ‘Magnify’ Mildura – creating jobs for the future, a series of events including workshops, masterclasses and a hackathon to help the local startup ecosystem grow as a vibrant hub of regional startup activity. |
| Moreland City Council | $100,000 | Moreland Converger Program | Moreland City Council to run the Moreland Converger Program that consists of a series of mentorship, masterclasses, workshops and meetups to increase the connectivity and growth of the local startup community which is attracting a growing enclave of creative and tech startups and multi-disciplinary entrepreneurs. |
| Towong Shire Council | $100,000 | Think-Start-Grow | Towong Shire Council will run Think-Start-Grow, a program that will focus on building knowledge and awareness of startup entrepreneurship through a series of workshops, networking forums, events and mentoring support. Participants will gain an understanding of the entrepreneurship ecosystem, rural entrepreneurship models and links to local resources. |
| Warrnambool City Council | $284,420 | UNEARTHED | Warrnambool City Council in partnership with Moyne Shire Counciland Corangamite Shire Council, will run UNEARTHED, a regional program that includes: events, meetups, a bootcamp of focused workshops, masterclasses and mentoring. The program aims to create awareness, accelerate the local ecosystem and unearth startup and scaleup potential especially in the food and fibre area. |
| City of Whittlesea | $89,710 | Ignite…igniting north metro startups | City of Whittlesea will run Ignite…igniting north metro startups, a series of events ranging from short workshops to full day hackathons to engage local startups. The project will address the need to create more employment opportunities for a growing population. |
| Wyndham City Council | $270,000 | #StartWest | Wyndham City Council with Hobsons Bay City Council, Maribyrnong City Business, and Moonee Valley City as a consortium, will run #StartWest; a program designed to educate and encourage people in Melbourne’s west to participate in the startup ecosystem. The program includes mentoring, meetups, and capacity building masterclasses culminating with the #StartWest Festival, which will celebrate startups in Melbourne’s west and inspire potential founders. |
Round 5 LaunchVic Recipients
| Organisation & Program Title | Category | Funding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| BioMelbourne Network Going Global: Growth and Export Strategies for Healthtech | Export & Growth | $97,000 | BioMelbourne Network will support HealthTech founders of companies who have strategic intent to expand into global markets. The program will bring international experts to Melbourne, to deliver skills-based workshops on global regulatory, reimbursement, market access and commercialisation strategies, with a focus on key export markets in US, UK, EU, China and India. |
| Burch + Co Legal and Business Agreement Basics | Corporate Governance | $219,700 | Burch + Co Lawyers will educate founders on the basic legal considerations through the lifecycle of a startup, including the responsibilities of being a founder and director and how to develop internal and shareholder agreements. |
| Catapult Business Accelerator The 7 Secrets To Success With Investors | Investment Support | $228,625 | Catapult Business Accelerator will deliver an investor education program, providing deep insights into what gets investors on the founder’s side: the right time to connect with investors; building relationships and communicating with investors; financial forecasts; equity; pitching and networking. |
| Character How To Tell The Story of Your Startup | Marketing Support | $140,000 | Character will provide founders with practical, hands-on advice on how to tell the story of their startup. The program will equip them with the tools and templates they need to generate meaningful public relations and marketing results with a focus on brand story, stakeholder engagement and key communication messages. |
| Cogent.Co Lean Products, Sustainable Businesses | Product Development | $250,000 | Cogent will help founders build sustainable businesses through learning practical product design, development, and management taught by leading expert practitioners. |
| Common Code In Common: A program for people building companies around products and technology. | Product Development | $154,440 | Common Code will educate technical and non-technical founders on how to align their business goals to their technology asset, how to effectively communicate with a design and development teams and how to make informed technical decisions. |
| DifferenThinking Execution = People + Culture + Leadership | Personal Leadership & Development | $185,000 | DifferenThinking will provide founders with the tools needed to develop their people, leadership and culture skills through all stages of the startup life cycle. |
| EM Advisory Creating Investment Ready Startups | Investment Support | $240,000 | EM Advisory uses tried and tested tools to help founders and their teams to create and test their thinking, so they become investment ready. Startups will finish the program ready to present to investors and clearly articulate a simple coherent investment thesis and go to market strategy. |
| Innovation Bay Founder Pathway to Investment | Investment Support | $110,000 | Innovation Bay will equip early stage founders with the knowledge and tools to effectively craft an investment pitch, engage investors and understand the investment process. Founders will receive expert mentoring and an opportunity to present to Innovation Bay’s network of investors. |
| Inventium Customer Driven Innovation Program | Personal Leadership and Development | $100,000 | Inventium will teach founders online a best-practice approach to innovation, based on science. It will help founders identify customer driven opportunities, learn tools to generate breakthrough solutions and make effective decisions and how to quickly and cheaply prototype ideas. |
| Leadership Victoria Start Leading | Personal Leadership and Development | $175,000 | Leadership Victoria has expertise in leadership development that will shape participating founders into leaders for the long haul – for themselves, their current and future projects and for the whole community. |
| Marketing Entourage The Startup Marketing Program | Marketing Support | $208,300 | Marketing Entourage is aimed at providing founders with the essential marketing tools to build effective strategies to successfully go to market, stimulate growth, attract investment, scale or expand globally. |
| Onestack Export & Growth Workshops | Export & Growth | $234,600 | Onestack will help founders strategise and execute for growth and export, with experts challenging startups’ strategic and tactical plans to identify gaps and priorities. |
| Slingshot Accelerator Startup B2B Sales Masterclass | Engaging Corporates | $150,000 | Slingshot Accelerator will run startup B2B sales masterclasses, educating founders on processes, disciplines, and techniques required to facilitate sales discussions with business customers, then execute the sales. |
| Space Tank Studio Bench to Business – A Product Development Training program for Hardware Startup Founders | Product Development | $250,000 | Space Tank Studio will educate founders in design for manufacturing, IP protection, business and financial development and in Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) manufacturing technology for prototyping. |
| Startup Boardroom Governance and Board Advisory for Founders | Corporate Governance | $220,000 | Start-up Boards will educate founders on compliance, governance, organisation policy and process and bring a capacity building mindset to help them be more resilient and realise their potential through considering an advisory board. |
Round 4 LaunchVic Recipients
| Organisation | Project | Funding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| SBE Australia | SBE Melbourne Female Life Sciences Accelerator Program & E3: E3: Empower, Evolve, Escalate | $1,500,000 | Springboard Enterprises (SBE) Australia will expand their world-class Springboard Enterprises accelerator program to Melbourne through the launch of a female-focused Life Sciences accelerator benefitting at least 20 startups over three years. SBE will also deliver the E3 business accelerator program twice a year benefiting at least 60 early-stage startups. |
| Skalata Ventures | Skalata Ventures Scaleup Accelerator | $3,000,000 | Skalata Ventures will open a new accelerator program to support Victoria’s most promising scaleups. Founded by the former leadership of University of Melbourne’s Melbourne Accelerator Program (MAP), the program will support 60 scaleups over three years. |
| Techstars | Techstars Melbourne SportsTech accelerator program | $2,500,000 | Techstars, the worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed, has received LaunchVic funds to support the establishment of a Melbourne SportsTech accelerator program for 20 startups over a 2-year time period. Techstars is looking for partners in support to run a series of startup community events including Techstars Startup Weekend and Techstars Startup Week as well as the establishment of an accelerator to connect founders and their teams with other entrepreneurs, experts, mentors, alumni, investors, community leaders, and corporate partners. |
Round 3 LaunchVic Recipients
Round 2 LaunchVic Recipients
Small Ideas | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Project | Organisation | Funding | Description |
| Edupreneur 2017 | Education Changemakers | $87,000 | Melbourne-based Education Changemakers is behind Australia’s growing movement of educational entrepreneurship through teacher led innovation. It has gained international recognition for its Educhange Festival and thought leadership through its book Edupreneur – an examination of change and opportunity at the intersection of education and entrepreneurship. In 2017 Education Changemakers will present the inaugural nation-wide industry event, Edupreneur 2017, in Melbourne as part of the annual Educhange Festival. The three-day major industry event aims to inspire innovation in education and facilitate clustering of education startups. It will also run a regional roadshow of the event in Geelong, Shepparton, Warrnambool and Mildura. |
| Outcome-Hub | Outcome.Life | $94,510 | Outcome.life is a Melbourne based organisation focused on assisting Internationals transitioning from study to the professional workforce in Victoria. Outcome.life has established a co-working space, Outcome-Hub and in 2017 it will expand this hub to include an incubator that will support international student entrepreneurs. The hub will also match students interested in working in startups in internships at Victorian based startups through an online portal. A comprehensive events program will support the hub and inspire more internationals to get involved in the startup ecosystem. |
Large Ideas | |||
| Project | Organisation | Funding | Description |
| The Frankston Foundry | The Frankston Foundry | $154,500 | The Frankston Foundry was launched in 2016 to provide a co-working space and startup incubator for entrepreneurs and technical professionals across the bayside and Mornington Peninsula region. It is committed to actively connect within Victoria’s startup ecosystem by facilitating networks between its regional entrepreneurs and the Melbourne sector. In 2017, the Frankston Foundry will hire a dedicated community manager role, and develop a program of events, including an annual hackathon, to turbo charge innovation on the Peninsula. |
| #SheHacks Victoria | Girl Geek Academy | $300,000 | Girl Geek Academy is a global movement encouraging women to learn technology and create startups. Currently operating in Australia and the United States, Girl Geek Academy is committed to increase inclusion and greater representation of women and female founders in the startup ecosystem. In 2017, Girl Geek Academy will present #SheHacks Victoria – a high profile hackathon event and startup competition for over 200 women. With a focus on University students, the first Victorian statewide program will offer participants the opportunity to attend bootcamps in Melbourne, Warrnambool, Warragul and Bendigo, join a startup team, build an MVP and receive ongoing mentoring. Finalists will showcase their startups at the #SheHacks Victoria Demo Day. |
| Startmate Melbourne | Startmate | $384,000 | Startmate is one of Australia’s most successful startup accelerator programs with a deep, experienced technology mentor network, and a proven track record in connecting Australian founders to global knowledge and capital. Startmate has chosen to open its program and establish its operations in Melbourne, and will accelerate 16 local tech companies over 2 years including a regional roadshow program that will connect with tech entrepreneurs in Geelong, Shepparton, Albury/Wodonga, Ballarat and the La Trobe Valley. They will create a Melbourne Startmate mentor network of 50+ of the most successful technology founders and executives who will invest in Victorian Startmate companies. |
| ACMI X CreativeTech Laboratory | ACMI | $398,000 | ACMI is the world’s busiest museum of the moving image and is highly regarded as an industry leader in the development and promotion of creative industries. In 2016, ACMI opened ACMI X – a co-working space for local digital creative professionals – and a world first for a major cultural institution. ACMI will now extend its co-working space to include a CreativeTech Laboratory to incubate and grow creative startups. The laboratory will support 8 new creative companies through mentoring and facilitating connections with industry and universities. The ACMI X CreativeTech Lab will give both ACMI X participants and the wider creative tech startups access to the Museum’s huge public audience to test, refine and promote projects, as well as showcase outcomes to the industry, investor and international audiences that visit ACMI. |
| Disability and Health Care Innovation Hub and Incubator | Seeva Plus Inc | $500,000 | Seeva Plus Inc is a Melbourne based social enterprise committed to innovation in the disability and health care sectors. It actively supports cultivating creative and disruptive solutions, and aims to drive greater diversity within the startup ecosystem including entrepreneurs with a disability. Seeva will establish an incubation program and launch an innovation hub that supports startups and entrepreneurs to drive change within the disability sector. The hub will bring together community, consumers, businesses, entrepreneurs and startups to work collaboratively while offering a place for people with a disability, chronic health condition and older people to cultivate their own business ideas. |
Round 1 LaunchVic Recipients
Small Ideas | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Project | Organisation | Funding | Description |
| Bright Sparks | RMIT University | $100,000 | Bright Sparks is a leadership program to inspire, connect and prepare the next generation of female entrepreneurs in Victoria. Female students, alumni and staff at RMIT will be given a head start in business through a network of Australian and international mentors and an intensive leadership program in San Francisco. |
| Digital marketing makerspace | Western BACE | $50,000 | The only combined co-working space and business accelerator in Western Melbourne’s Growth Corridor will receive funding to create the “Digital BACE marketing makerspace”. Local startups will be given expert support to use 3D printing, virtual reality software, computers and video cameras for marketing activities. |
| Employment based social enterprise pipeline | Social Traders | $100,000 | Focusing on jobs for people facing barriers to work – in Melbourne, Ballarat and Wodonga – this program will strengthen the pipeline of accelerator-ready social enterprise ideas through workshops, networking events, clinics and pitch fests targeting women, youth and multi-cultural groups. |
| Fintech Melbourne | Fintech Melbourne | $30,000 | Fintech Melbourne is a community run organisation for the benefit of the Victorian fintech community. It is Australia’s largest fintech community with 1800 members and provides tremendous value and support to the local ecosystem. This has all been accomplished through volunteer efforts but due to the scale of events, support is required to make Fintech Melbourne sustainable in the long term. |
| Launch Clubs | The Foundation for Young Australians | $75,000 | Launch Clubs aims to harness the energy and passion of young Victorians and build a network of local hubs, based in regional communities, where young people develop the skills and capabilities to test and launch their own enterprises. There is an urgent and vital need to support young people in regional Victoria to develop entrepreneurial skills that can open pathways to self-employment, job creation and the revitalisation of regional economies. Launch Clubs will be trialed in Bendigo and Traralgon and is designed so the model can be scaled State-wide. |
| Lemonade Stand: startups for kids | Collective Campus | $100,000 | Lemonade Stand is a two-day business building and entrepreneur program for 9-12 year olds, currently run during school holidays. LaunchVic funding will help expand the program into schools and online, significantly increasing the scale and reach of the program and inspiring a new generation of young entrepreneurs. |
| Young Entrepreneurs Mentoring Scheme | iGen Foundation | $70,000 | Young Entrepreneurs Mentoring (YEM) pilot provides 15-30 year olds with entrepreneurial skills and knowledge as well as the networks to help them unlock doors to new business opportunities. |
Large Ideas | |||
| Project | Organisation | Funding | Description |
| A world class tech and startup destination | Convenory Campus | $200,000 | Convenory Campus aims to build a world class tech and startup destination at the Abbottsford Convent featuring share-laboratories, conference facilities, hardware assembly, on-demand childcare and co-working zones. LaunchVic funding will lay the foundation for the Convenory team to bring their vision to reality. |
| Australian Sports Technologies Network | Australian Sports Technologies Network Ltd | $280,000 | Melbourne is a world leader in sport – now the aim is to make Melbourne the world leader in sports technology. LaunchVic funding will enable an entrepreneur-in-residence – supporting 15-20 sports tech startups over a two year period – as well as development of a best practice playbook and hosting of a World Championships for Sports Analytics. |
| Cybersecurity Incubator | Dimension Data | $450,000 | Dimension Data and Deakin University will set up a cyber security incubator in order to accelerate the development of unique cyber security solutions and intellectual property. Located at Deakin’s Waurn Ponds campus, the incubator will help address the burgeoning skills shortage in the Australian cyber security industry. |
| Dream Factory makerspace | Inspire9 | $650,000 | Co-working business Inspire9 will establish a makerspace in the new Dream Factory building in Footscray, providing startups, entrepreneurs, artists and hobbyists with access to facilities such as 3D printing, digital sewing, laser cutting and a virtual reality lab. The aim is to unlock digital manufacturing capacities in a region that has seen traditional manufacturing in decline. |
| Harnessing the experienced economy | Fifth Institute | $200,000 | Startups aren’t just for the young. The Fifth Institute aims to lift the number and success rate of startups emerging from the experienced economy (those aged 50 and over). This will tap into the emergence of ‘seniorpreneurs” as the fastest growing segment of new business owners in Australia. |
| Launching agtech startups | Rocket Seeder | $675,000 | A startup accelerator program focusing on supporting innovation in agricultural technology, Rocket Seeder will support motivated agtech entrepreneurs with a comprehensive coaching program and will connect them with mentors, industry partners, and investors. Linking city and country, there will be a Melbourne-based hub with programs initially in Shepparton, Sale, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Colac, Horsham, Wondonga, Mildura and Warrnambool. |
| Regional Accelerator Program | La Trobe University | $1 million | A regional accelerator program, led by La Trobe University and including Federation and Deakin Universities, will harness the best and brightest minds of regional Victoria to boost the economy and agricultural jobs. Participants will have access to funding, office space, structured mentoring programs, networking and local, national and international pitching opportunities. |
| Runway | Runway | $1.25 million | This major startup initiative in Geelong will act as a catalyst for innovation in the region, creating new businesses and jobs through the provision of mentoring, networks, training and access to venture capital. Its objective is to launch a startup culture in Geelong that will establish the city as a global centre for innovation and entrepreneurship. |
| StartupBootCamp Melbourne | Startupbootcamp | $600,000 | Startupbootcamp, the world-renowned accelerator network has received LaunchVic funding to develop and scale startups in the fields of Internet of Things (IoT) and Data Tech. With a planned launch in 2017, Startupbootcamp will be inviting Asia-Pacific’s best IoT and data startups to come to Melbourne to join and boost the local ecosystem. Startupbootcamp accelerator programs offer startups access to a global investor and mentor network, which will encourage overseas corporations to look to Melbourne for IoT and data solutions. |
LaunchVic Funding | |||
| Project | Organisation | Funding | Description |
| Fintech Ecosystem | Fintech | $300,000 | LaunchVic has entered into an exclusive partner arrangement with FinTech Australia to host the inaugural FinTech Australia conference in Melbourne in November this year. This will be the largest gathering of domestic and international FinTech players in the country and will be a major boost for the local community. In addition, LaunchVic in partnership with the Victorian Government and the FinTech community, will soon be developing a FinTech strategy to guide the development of, and investment in, the FinTech ecosystem in Victoria. |
| Startup Victoria | Startup Victoria | $300,000 | LaunchVic has partnered with Startup Victoria to deliver two key projects for the Victorian startup community. The first involves developing a digital platform that will be a single source for the Victorian startup ecosystem to find information about events, jobs and funding opportunities. Startup Victoria will also undertake extensive mapping of the ecosystem providing deeper insights into the current state of the ecosystem and how we should direct our efforts to stimulate growth. |
Timing
Applications close 10 October 2017.
Latest News
08 September 2021 – Victorian AgTech Entrepreneurs Initiative
Agriculture Victoria has partnered with LaunchVic, Victoria’s startup agency, to deliver the Victorian AgTech Entrepreneurs Initiative.
A grant of up to $600,000 is available for organisations to deliver an AgTech pre-accelerator program in Victoria. The Victorian AgTech Entrepreneurs Initiative is helping to increase the quantity and quality of early-stage Victorian Agtech startups. It also aims to build entrepreneurial capability within our AgTech sector.
