The sixth year of Curtin Uni’s free accelerator program, Curtin Accelerate, is now open for Curtin alumni, students and staff looking to fast track their business ideas …
The search is on for tomorrow’s innovators and entrepreneurs to take part in next year’s Curtin Accelerate, a free, 10-week program to develop an invention or a new business idea.
Applications for the program, which offers tailor-made guidance and support to prepare concepts for commercial success, are now open to Curtin’s alumni of more than 230,000 graduates around the world, as well as staff and students.
Curtin University Director of Commercialisation Rohan McDougall (who you can also hear on Startup West’s latest podcast) said the Curtin Accelerate program provided vital early stage support for emerging businesses in the Curtin community.
“The program provides mentoring, seed funding and access to networks that can assist the growth of these businesses,” Rohan said.
“It is part of a pipeline of programs to support Curtinnovation and entrepreneurship at Curtin. We are seeking applications from Curtin graduates, students and staff who have an innovative idea or business concept that needs some personalised support to take it to the next level.”
Curtin Accelerate, which offers access to co-working spaces, information technology infrastructure, key industry networks and personalised mentoring from specialists in digital marketing, business growth, intellectual property and finance, will run from February to April 2019.
Over its five-year history, more than 25 teams have graduated from the program, with many successfully launching products into the market.
Grads include Notis, a digitised noticeboard for students, Soter Analytics, which offers a wearable workplace injury prevention solution, online marketplace for storage Storekat and workplace rating and improvement platform Rate My Space. BOSSMAMA and Landguide also completed the program.
The Sunovate team, which took part in 2018, developed a novel integrated solar photovoltaic and thermal panel that generates both electricity and heat, offering many exciting domestic, commercial and industrial applications.
The team comprised of Curtin mechanical engineering graduate Glen Ryan and alumna Cesira Leigh, who has a Bachelor of Social Sciences, with Honours in Sustainable Development.
Since participating in the 2018 program, the team has gone on to win the Australian segment of the ClimateLaunchpad and will now compete in the international final in Edinburgh in November.
Teams aiming to apply for Curtin Accelerate must include at least one Curtin staff member, student or graduate. To find out more about the Curtin Accelerate program, visit their website.
The program provides each team with $5,000 in grant funding as well as structured mentoring, networking and practical advice on establishing and growing a successful startup business.
The 2019 program will be headed up by Chloë Constantinides and Nate Sturcke from Skills of the Modern Age (SOMA).
Applications for the program close on 23rd November.
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MAIN PHOTO: Some of the 2018 Curtin Accelerate graduates.
