Ready to take your idea to the next level?

ACU's Startup Pre-Accelerator Program is your chance to turn your idea into reality. In 10 weeks, you'll validate your idea, build a minimum viable product (MVP), attract your first customers and craft an investor-ready pitch deck - all with the guidance of industry experts and Australia's biggest startup community.

Open to all ACU students and alumni based in Victoria, this fully subsidised program is delivered in partnership with Startmate, one of Australia's top accelerators, and funded by LaunchVic. Through online masterclasses, in-person networking, and hands-on startup development, you'll gain practical skills and capabilities, access valuable industry insights, and connect with mentors and leaders who can create opportunities. Past speakers and mentors have included leaders from Canva, Tesla, eBay, Salesforce and many more.

By the end of the program, you'll pitch to a panel of investors and industry leaders for the chance to win up to $10,000  to go towards your project  giving you the momentum to secure funding and take your idea further.

Applications close Sunday 26 July 2026 for the September 2026 intake.

Apply now

This program is made possible with funding from LaunchVic: Victoria's Startup Agency.

Please note if your idea/research is already funded, we may not be able to invest in your project.

Program partners

photo of startmate logo
photo of launchvic logo

Why join?

This program is designed to give you everything you need to launch and grow your startup. You'll:

  • validate your idea and understand your customers through industry-led workshops
  • be mentored by ACU and Startmate experts
  • collaborate with a supportive cohort each week
  • sharpen your pitch and present to investors for your chance to win up to $10,000
  • enjoy free access to Co-Lab's coworking space at ACU's Melbourne Campus
  • network with founders, venture capitalists, and innovation leaders across Victoria
  • unlock pathways to scale through programs like the ACU Co-Lab Incubator Series or the Startmate Accelerator, plus opportunities to gain commercialisation support via ACU's Enterprise Clinic or CSIRO ON
  • finish with an investor-ready pitch, transferable skills, and a digital badge to showcase your achievement.

Who should apply?

The ACU Co-Lab Startup Pre-Accelerator is open to Victorian ACU community members who are:

  • undergraduate or postgraduate students
  • ACU alumni.

You don't need a fully formed startup, just a strong, venture scalable idea and the motivation to pursue it. Your idea must be tech-driven, and startups from all sectors are encouraged to apply, including:

  • AI and productivity tools
  • health tech and care economy
  • education tech and sports tech
  • social impact and purpose-driven ventures.

Note: This is a competitive application process. Only the most promising applicants will be selected for each cohort.

Application process

Stage 1: Submit your application on this page.

Stage 2: Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a 20-minute interview with the ACU Co-Lab team to further assess and discuss your startup idea.

Stage 3: Successful applicants will receive an official offer letter along with a Startmate onboarding link. 

Cohort 2 dates

Applications close: 26 July 2026
Interviews: Rolling basis
Offer letters sent out: 31 July 2026
Cohort 1 program dates: 31 August - 8 November 2026
ACU Demo day: w/c 2 November 2026 (TBC)

If you want to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) for the 3rd cohort kicking off in March 2027, please send an email to co-lab.melbourne@acu.edu.au 

Costs

Accepted participants will be able to attend for free, with all costs fully subsidised (valued over $1000) by LaunchVic and ACU.

Program details

  • Week 1: ACU - welcome and onboarding
  • Week 2: Startmate - Customer Obsession and Interviews
  • Week 3: Startmate - MVP Development
  • Week 4: Startmate -  Get Your First Customers
  • Week 5: Startmate - Think Bigger and Raise Investment
  • Week 6: Startmate - Sprint Week - Make Progress
  • Week 7: Startmate - Nail Your Pitch
  • Week 8: Startmate - Practice Your Pitch
  • Week 9: Startmate - Building a Successful Startup, and apply to present at Startmate Pitch night
  • Week 10: ACU -  Demo day

Note that Week 1 & 10 are delivered by ACU on campus, whereas weeks 2 -9 will be delivered virtually by Startmate.

Frequently asked questions

  • You have an idea and want to put it to the test.
  • You've built an MVP and are ready to attract your first users.
  • You're in market and eager to connect with mentors and investors.
  • You want to sharpen your pitching skills and tell your startup story with impact.
  • You're excited to grow alongside a supportive community of founders.
  • You're looking for pathways to other funding and project progression opportunities offered by ACU and Startmate.

You must be a Victorian-based ACU student, staff, researcher or alumni with a tech-based startup idea to be eligible for this program.

The program is mostly virtual. All content is delivered in a virtual format (and will be recorded if you can't attend live). However, we will also be hosting a few in-person events on ACU's Melbourne Campus to further enrich your experience.

ACU's Startup Pre-Accelerator has two elements.

  1. Startmate's Launch Club is an eight-week program designed to build real momentum without disrupting your work or studies. Participants can expect to commit three to six hours each week, with one compulsory Monday evening 'all hands' session and optional midweek sessions that are recorded for flexibility. It is hands-on, fast-paced, and built to push you forward.
  2. ACU Co-Lab provides additional in-person mentoring, demo days, and networking opportunities, connecting founders with expert guidance, peer support, and pathways to funding and project progression through both ACU and Startmate. To successfully complete the program and be eligible for cash prizes, participants must deliver a pitch on ACU's Demo Day.

Yes. Pitching is a core part of the program and an incredible opportunity to showcase your idea at ACU's Demo Day. You'll deliver a three-minute pitch followed by two minutes of Q&A in front of industry leaders and investors. Throughout the program, we'll guide you through crafting an investor-ready pitch, build confidence in public speaking, and prepare for future funding opportunities. Pitching is required to be eligible for cash prizes.

Please discuss this with your ADR to see how this could impact your workload allocation for 2026. The program requires approximately three to six hours per week (including mandatory virtual sessions, core content, and additional time for customer engagement and product development), totaling around 60+ hours. The more time you invest, the stronger your pitch and startup will be.

If you have any questions about the Startup Pre-Accelerator Program, please do not hesitate to reach out to Shirley Pham, Startup Program Officer, Co-Lab at co-lab.melbourne@acu.edu.au

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