The #1 way for uni students to explore founding a startup
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Learn the fundamentals of founding a startup
Wtf is a startup anyway? And how do you build one? This is a crash course in entrepreneurship. You'll get access to essential resources, coaching and live sessions with ANZ's top investors, operators and founders to set you up for success as a startup SME.
Meet co-founders and found a startup
You’ll form a team, come up with an idea, speak to customers and build the first version of a product. We'll teach you how to capture investors’ attention, communicate your vision clearly, and convince them why your idea deserves funding.
Pitch to top VCs in Australia
At the end of the Student Fellowship, you'll get the chance to pitch to ANZ's top investors. And if you’re on the winning team? You’ll score a spot in our pre-accelerator program, Launch Club, and also gain access to other investment opportunities like a place in our Accelerator program ($120k investment). Lyrebird did!
of students founded a company and pitched it during the student fellowship
Who is the Student Fellowship for?
Want to be part of an industry that will drive the biggest change globally over the next 50 years?
This program is for those with an inner-belief that they were made for greatness.
Don't want to die a slow death/sell your soul to be at a big corporate?
We’re looking for hungry, driven, and daring students and recent graduates who want to do something different.
Ready to give founding a go?
If you’re keen on founding some day (or today) this is the program for you. Get hands-on experience of building something from scratch!
Hear from our alumni
What do you get?
Welcome to your crash course in founding a startup.
Meet co-founders, come up with an idea, build the first version of a product, and finish by pitching to the top VCs in Australia. You might even get investment. Lyrebird did!
Best part? No prior experience needed.
PSA: The Student Fellowship is FREE for those who participate in the founders challenge!
LEARN
Hear from pioneers of our startup ecosystem and learn from alumni fellows who have gone on to found venture-backed companies.
EXPLORE
Get hands- on startup experience taking an idea, transforming it into a product and pitching it to investors
COACHING
Get 1:1 coaching from people already in the startup ecosystem
COMMUNITY
Meet hundreds of other driven students and join the best startup community in ANZ
Past speakers and coaches
Ready to test out founding? Student Fellowship is for you.
Proudly supported by
ESSENTIAL READS
Frequently asked questions
Each cohort is made up of about 150-300 students and recent graduates (up to six months post-graduation).
The Student Fellowship is a two-week bootcamp that runs twice a year during the winter and summer student holidays.
Content and resources are entirely virtual, and there are in-person socials.
Sessions will run in the evenings, with occasional lunchtime optional check-ins.
With approximately 15 hours of content across the program, come prepared for an intense and transformative learning and networking experience. You’ll get out what you put in!
Sessions will be recorded and available after the program ends, but you will get the most out of the program if you can attend the live sessions.
In general, the program follows a set operating cadence. Live sessions will run after work hours:
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 5-7PM AEST
****In addition to the content sessions, there will also be Friday in-person drinks in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as regular catch-ups with your founding team and Coach.
Depending on your own bandwidth and personal objectives, you can then scale up from there - dive into bonus resources, connect with other Fellows & Coaches, build your network, etc.
It’s a common misconception that you have to be technically minded to found a startup. This is simply not true. Whether you’re studying arts, engineering, music, science, law, business or anything in between, the Student Fellowship can help you determine whether a career in startups is the right fit for you.
Our Student Fellows come from all backgrounds, experiences and walks of life. However, they are all:
- Tenacious and willing to create their own opportunities;
- Fast-moving individuals who thrive in chaos and uncertainty;
- Problem-solvers who love finding creative solutions; and
- Team players looking to make authentic connections and join a community for life.
We’re especially interested in you if you would like to found a startup in the future (or now)!
All university students are welcome to apply, regardless of age, race, disability, cultural background, gender or sexuality.
The Student Fellowship runs for 2 weeks, during which time Fellows team up and found a startup.
From coming up with a startup idea, testing and refining it, validating it with customers and pitching the finished product at the end of the program. And if you’ve already got an idea or started talking to customers - great!
You’ll also be added to a talent pool that will open you up to internship and job opportunities at Australian and New Zealand startups.
And the journey doesn't end after 2 weeks. Our Student Fellows join Startmate’s community of operators, founders and investors for life, and make meaningful connections with other ambitious, passionate students and coaches from all over the country.
Check out this program reflection from Summer23 cohort student fellow, Melody Wu.