From Frontlines to First Thursdays
Hey,
This edition takes us back to 2020, the year the world changed and so did we. Startups pivoted. Programs moved online. Founders proved that resilience is how real change happens.
We kept founders moving through lockdowns, with Coach and Connect virtual chats and the MCIC Makerspace Click and Collect service, powered by Yellowbox (shoutout to those legends 👏), helping thousands stay connected, keep building, and push their ideas forward.
When early-stage capital became harder to access, we launched the UNSW Angel Investor Program with AGSM, unlocking a new generation of investors to back the next wave of startups. Today it is led by Kylie Frazer 🚨REGISTER BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE - CLOSES FRIDAY🚨
UNSW Founders proved that innovation doesn't wait for perfect conditions- it creates them.
Here is what is happening now 👇
📅 Meet Kurt Walkom live at First Thursdays ‼️HAPPENING TODAY‼️.
🤖 Robot Royale arrives at UNSW this May.
🧠 Latest from Founders HQ: JoPo on the NSW Innovation Blueprint, New Wave highlights, Makerspace upgrade, and Startup Year pilot wrap.
🛡️ Big portco wins across defence, MedTech and AI.
🚀 Programs now open: 10x, PFC, and Gene 1500- but not for long.
Cheers,
Senior Manager (Ideas)
UNSW Founders
NSW’s new Innovation Blueprint 2035 is a bold step forward, but how can we make sure no founder, region, or idea is left behind? Dr Joseph Po, UNSW Founders' Health 10x Program Manager and two-time medtech co-founder, breaks it down: what’s promising, what’s missing, and why South-Western Sydney must be part of the plan. 👉 Read the full article here...
Last Chance to Start Angel Investing | Apply by 2 May
Time is almost up to join Australia’s most practical intro to startup investing. The UNSW Angels Investor Program, delivered with AGSM and led by powerhouse investor Kylie Frazer, kicks off soon and spots are nearly gone. No fluff. No theory overload. Just real insights, clear strategies, and hands-on experience to help you invest with confidence.
💡Build a real-world framework for angel investing 👥 Practice reviewing live deals and meeting founders 🛠️ Hands-on investment exercises with experts 🤝 Connect with a growing network of active investors
Applications close 2 May or sooner if the cohort fills.
🔥 One Month Left to Enter UNSW’s $100K Startup Competition
It’s the 25th anniversary of the Peter Farrell Cup and we’re going big. With $100,000 in prizes, hands-on workshops, and game-changing mentorship, this is your launchpad if you're dreaming of starting something real.
✨ Why it’s worth it: - Launch your startup idea - Pitch to top investors and founders - Access hands-on support and expert coaching - Join a legacy 25 years in the making
👉 Eligibility:
The team lead must be a current UNSW student and one of the original idea creators. Teammates can come from anywhere.
📅 Applications closing 30 May.
🚀 Final Weeks to Apply for Australia’s Best-Funded Accelerator Recruitment for UNSW Founders 10x Accelerator is nearly at the finish line and the opportunity this year is bigger than ever. With up to $4.77 million in funding and support available across streams, 10x is where ambitious startups go to scale.
Whether you're building in health, defence, climate, deep tech or SaaS, you’ll get access to tailored mentoring, capital to grow, and the backing of Australia’s most entrepreneurial university.
💸 Eligible startups may receive $100K to $200K+ in funding 🧠 Expert coaching from founders and operators 🌏 Industry connections to take your startup global 📍 No UNSW affiliation needed to apply for Health, Climate or Defence streams
📅 Mark your calendars: Applications close 19 May
🚀 Build a startup as part of your degree
GENE1500 is UNSW’s practical entrepreneurship course where you will learn how to spot opportunities, test ideas and build a startup from scratch.
Across the term you will learn:
How to validate real problems worth solving
How to find co-founders and build a team
How to design rapid experiments and prototypes
How to collect customer feedback and refine ideas
How to find a business model that works
How to pitch like a founder
GENE1500 is open to all undergraduate students and is worth 6 units of credit.
📅 HAPPENING TODAY: Thurs 1 May | 4 - 6 PM | MCIC, UNSW
Our May First Thursdays speaker is a mission-driven entrepreneur who has co-founded two standout startups:
Pearler making long-term investing accessible for everyday Aussies, now with over $2 billion invested.
Gridsight helping energy providers manage the shift to solar, batteries and EVs, already powering 5GW of renewables.
Kurt Walkom is all about solving big problems with smart tech, and he is joining us tomorrow for an unfiltered Ask Me Anything.
Do not miss your chance to hear from a two-time Australian founder on: 📈 Scaling sustainably 💸 Making the most of your capital 🌎 Expanding into the US.
📅 Sun, 18 May | 9.30 AM- 4 PM | MCIC, UNSW
Get ready for a night of innovation, strategy and live robot battles. Robot Royale brings together engineers, creators and tech lovers for a one-of-a-kind competition where custom-built robots face off in the arena.
🎯 See autonomous machines go head to head 🛠️ Meet the minds behind the robots 🏆 Cheer on your favourites and watch who takes the crown
Get your free ticket today!
📅 Fri, 23 May | 5.30 – 8.30 PM | John Niland Scientia Building, UNSW
Celebrate the next wave of women founders at the UNSW Founders New Wave Showcase, a high energy evening of bold ideas, big ambition and real impact. Top teams will pitch live for their share of $15,000 in prizes, judged by a panel of leaders from Westpac and UNSW. Expect powerful ideas, inspiring stories and a glimpse at the future of inclusive innovation.
Whether you are an investor, a startup supporter or just love seeing fresh thinking in action, this is not one to miss.
👉 Free to attend but registration is essential.
📅 Thur, 29 May | 5.30 - 7.30 PM | MCIC, UNSW Sydney
Get inside the future of productivity with the first ever live recording of In the Blink of AI. Host Georgie Healy will sit down with Andrew McCarthy, Head of Notion ANZ and Asia, for an unfiltered conversation on AI, cutting through tech bloat and what it really takes to launch one of the world’s biggest productivity platforms in Australia.
🍸 $10 ticket includes drinks, snacks and great company 🎯 Real stories from inside Notion’s global expansion ⚡ Where AI is taking work next
Register now, spots are limited!
📅 Every Wednesday from 4 June - 2 July | 5 - 7pm AEST | Liverpool City Library
Back by popular demand, this free, hands-on workshop series will teach you how to turn your ideas into digital products, fast. Whether you are a complete beginner or ready to sharpen your skills, this is your chance to build apps, websites and online stores from the ground up.
You can attend one session or come to all six.
What you will learn:
Rapid idea testing and visualisation
Design thinking and business planning
App prototyping in Figma
Website building in Framer
Online store setup with Shopify
Open to everyone aged 16 and up. No prior experience needed.
👉 Select your sessions and register today.
📅 Thu, 26 Jun | 2:00 – 4:00 PM AEST | MCIC, UNSW Sydney
Celebrate the incredible progress of UNSW’s second cohort of ECA Startup Fellows as they transform deep research into real world ventures. Over the past three months, these early career academics have worked with UNSW Founders to explore the commercial potential of their research across health, sustainability, resilience and more.
Join us for an afternoon of lightning talks, poster displays, and networking with the growing community of academic entrepreneurs at UNSW.
👉 Free to attend. Light refreshments provided.
Maker Night is your weekly chance to get hands-on, build cool stuff, and meet fellow creators. Whether you’re prototyping hardware, tinkering with tech, or just curious, come hang out, use the tools, and bring your ideas to life. No experience needed, just show up and make something.
New here? See directions 👉 VISIT US
⚡️Coach & Connect
Available for FREE to all UNSW staff, students and alumni with a bright idea for a new startup, or an already established business.
From developing an idea, building a business model, raising capital to merely exploring entrepreneurship, we’re here to help! LEARN MORE 👀
💪 Whether it's learning to code, building a prototype, designing a new product or merely learning a new creative skill, our team at the Makerspace & MCIC have something for you. We are always pulling together exciting workshops & short courses to help you learn and grow.
Explore the latest workshops now! 🗺️
📚 GENE1500 (6 UoC | Undergraduate) Explore the foundations of entrepreneurship through hands-on learning. Validate a problem, recruit a team, prototype solutions, and pitch your startup. Develop real-world skills in business model design, experimentation, and customer feedback while earning course credit.
📚 ZZBU6103 (6 UoC | Postgraduate) Dive into entrepreneurship and innovation by identifying real-world problems and designing solutions for market needs. Learn to apply Customer Discovery, Business Model Canvas, and persuasive storytelling to bring your ideas to life.
🔗 Learn More & Enrol to Earn credits while building the future! 🚀