Startmate’s First Believers program isn't just theoretical, it's practical.
You will not only learn the investing craft from the best investors in ANZ, but have the exclusive opportunity to make real investment decisions with your own funds or through the Startmate Funds.
❓Have questions? Watch the Program Overview with Ben Simai (Investment Manager @ Startmate)
This program gives radically transparent access to how the best investors make investment decisions and allows you to invest alongside the most active early-stage investors in Australia.
Dive into a wealth of knowledge shaped by all the learnings we've had from over a decade of investing. We cover our investment frameworks and everything you need to launch your angel journey, regardless of your experience.
The second half of the onboarding program is stacked with hands-on investing. You’ll be reviewing real pitch decks, meeting real founders and making real investment decisions. Real-ly awesome.
Never invest alone with Startmate and the First Believers. Twice a year, we run an onboarding program for an exclusive group. You'll get to meet each other at IRL events as well as get matched 1:1. We’re in this together.
First Believers
investment decisions
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Join a community obsessed with backing and believing in the next generation of great founders.
Over 14 weeks, you'll learn the craft of investing from world-class investors through the Startmate network, while simultaneously being exposed to 500+ early-stage startups. This is not about passively learning abstract concepts, it's about learning by doing - making real investment decisions on real companies with real outcomes.
Build your investing team directly with your 60 cohort members, while also tapping into our 300 strong alumni network of ex-founders, operators, investors and experts.
Review 500+ startups during the cohort, then get access to 1,000+ per year as an alumnus. We make it easy to see, review and decide on the best deals and founders.
Learn from experienced VCs and angel investors, vote on hundreds of investment decisions, and meet founders throughout the cohort.
Startmate will catapult you to the centre of the ecosystem. You’ll see more deals than ever before, learn how to better invest and mentor and massively increase your impact.
First Believers are exclusively invited to help Startmate write cheques into the earliest of companies via the Spark Fund. Deal leads and referrers of successful deals earn carry in the fund (even if they’re not investors in the fund).
Unlike most other accelerators, the $120k we invest in your startup comes directly from our mentor community. This means every mentor has skin in the game and is personally invested in seeing you succeed.
Do you believe that great founders and great startups are the key to building a better future? If so, First Believers is for you. Whether you’re looking to write your first cheque, have already started investing, keen to mentor startups, or a founder ready to give back and be on the flipside of the coin, you’re in the right place.
We believe startups are the single most powerful way to build a better future. If you do too, then come learn the theory of investing and put it into practice.
First Believers have front row seats in helping us select, mentor and invest in the next gen of Accelerator founders.
Get insider access to Startmate’s deal flow, as well as opportunities to connect with founders.
I gained such a well-rounded, realistic insight into the startup ecosystem and what it’s like to run or work in a startup. If you’re at all curious, I couldn’t recommend this program enough.
Women Founder
I gained such a well-rounded, realistic insight into the startup ecosystem and what it’s like to run or work in a startup. If you’re at all curious, I couldn’t recommend this program enough.
Founder
I gained such a well-rounded, realistic insight into the startup ecosystem and what it’s like to run or work in a startup. If you’re at all curious, I couldn’t recommend this program enough.
Student Fellow S24
I gained such a well-rounded, realistic insight into the startup ecosystem and what it’s like to run or work in a startup. If you’re at all curious, I couldn’t recommend this program enough.
Student contributor
If you want to build confidence in making early-stage startup investments, better understand the investor lens, and put theory into practice alongside other ambitious investors and founders, First Believers is the place for you.
If you want to build confidence in making early-stage startup investments, better understand the investor lens, or build life-changing relationships with other ambitious investors and founders, First Believers is the place for you.
You don’t have to be a sophisticated investor. You don’t need to have $$$ to invest. You can join with or without any prior experience.
First Believers come from a range of backgrounds, including past founders, corporate venture capitalists, high-growth technology company employees, and ecosystem champions.
Startmate is the most active early-stage investor in Australia. We invest at the very beginning of a founder's journey, making us best-placed to help budding angel investors. We help founders to realise their bold ambitions every day. We’ve been accelerating founders for more than a decade and we want to open this world to you.
We focus on the things you can't Google and provide unparalleled hands-on investing opportunities.
Over 14 weeks, you'll learn the craft of investing from world-class investors through the Startmate network, while simultaneously being exposed to 500+ early-stage startups. This is not about passively learning abstract concepts. It's about learning by doing and making real investment decisions on real companies with real outcomes.
Alongside other First Believers, you'll refine and develop your investment strategy, establish clear next steps in your journey to investing, and be supported in realising them.
Investing is a decade-long journey. We’re building a community to be there with you every step of the way. You'll develop deep relationships with First Believers and be a part of a community for life.
You also get ongoing exposure to Startmate's deal flow, and have opportunities to learn-by-doing (even if you don't have capital to invest right now).
No! First Believers is about developing future investors.
We understand the ambition to be an investor might come before the financial position to back your belief in founders.
Amongst a number of pathways for non-sophisticated investors, we have uniquely raised a $1 million Small Bets Fund exclusively for First Believers of all backgrounds to invest into founders at the very beginning (and earn carry in the fund while doing so).
The First Believers program fee is $5,500 including GST.
We're committed to seeing better representation in the startup ecosystem, and we don't want financial limitations to be a prohibiting factor from participating in First Believers. Startmate offers full and part scholarships for the First Believers program. This fee will only be invoiced after program acceptance. The fee can be paid upfront or via instalments.
NZGCP proudly sponsor one NZ position per cohort.