Accelerator
Guidance, funding, mentorship, and a community to propel your startup's growth.
Ready to take your startup to the next level? Let’s make it happen.
If you’re an ambitious, curious and dedicated founder working on a scalable startup or social impact venture, our program helps you grow as a founder and take your business to a new level.
Valued at over $60,000.
Here is what you’ll be in for:
- First and foremost, you’ll be a part of a community of ambitious, persistent and generous founders. Our past teams continue to support each other today.
- $10,000 of equity free funding
- 12 weeks of regular workshops (1 per week) on the key skills and drivers to grow your startup — customer development, sales, marketing, building your team, investment, pitching, and all the in-betweens
- Access to Melbourne CBD co-working space for 6 months at Deakin Downtown (727 Collins St) that offers the next level of sophisticated, technology-rich, flexible spaces for meetings and workshops. 3 months are essential and an additional 3 months is optional (access is valued at $3,600)
- Free professional legal advice through the Deakin Venture Law Clinic
- Dedicated mentorship with regular catch-ups to give you tailored guidance and keep you focused, accountable and feel supported
- We’re also an official partner for Google for Startups which includes $20 000 credit for the Cloud platform
- $7, 500 credits from Amazon Web Services
- Free Xero Accounting Software for 1 year
- 90% off Hubspot marketing, sales and customer service software for the first 12 months (average saving $17,000)
- Access to a network of mentors from industry, founders and startup ecosystem supporters
We now accepting expressions of interest (EOI’s) on an ongoing basis for the 2021 program. Be sure to sign up to get updates as soon as the next round opens!
Submit interest for 2021
More than just funding
To date, we’ve empowered 68 founders, funded 28 startups who have served over 15,000 customers and generated over $3.3 million in revenue. These startups have created over 300 full-time and part-time jobs and over 800 contract roles.
The accelerator funds and supports startups founded by Deakin University students, staff, and alumni that are making waves in all fields and industries. We help passionate teams with a commitment to pursuing their business full time, get the help they need. We reserve one place for a social enterprise and are keen to see more applications from female and culturally and linguistically diverse founders through the years.
See what it’s all about
- Launch Day and Demo Day are open for all to attend. If you are interested in applying in the future, we highly encourage you attend to get a head start by seeing what the Accelerator is all about. See highlights from the 2019 Demo Day here.
Backed by the best.
Meet our program partners…
You'll be in great company — Accelerator Mentors
Lisa Galbraith
Startup Coach
Olga Hogan
Startup Coach
Scott Handsaker
CEO, Cyrise
Kirstin McIntosh
Head of Partnerships, Cyrise
Pawan Lalwani
CEO & Founder, Language Your WayEligibility Criteria
To be considered for the program, startups must meet the following criteria:
- At least one co-founder in your startup must a be Deakin student, staff or Alumni from any area of the university.
- You have a minimum 2 co-founders.
- Preference will be given to those who can commit full-time* to working from our co-working space in Melbourne CBD
- Your startup must be scalable – no small businesses, consultants or agencies will be considered. A startup is a business with high impact potential that uses innovation and/or addresses scalable markets. See LaunchVic’s definition of what a startup is here.
*the 2020 program is being run virtually. This criteria is being put on hold.
Submit interest for 2021Meet some of our alumni
