Accelerator

Startmate reveals the 13 new startups it’s backed ahead of SXSW Demo Day

- September 15, 2023 4 MIN READ

Female founders are involved in nearly 40% of the 13 startups in the Startmate class of winter 2023, with climate tech and AI among the key themes backed by the accelerator and investment program. The Winter23 Accelerator cohort spans everything from AI-powered recruitment to misdiagnosed prenatal ultrasounds and inflatable space solar panels.  Two of the… Read more »

Michael Batko
Events

LaunchVic is tipping another $300,000 into Startmate to teach uni students about startup life

- July 26, 2023 2 MIN READ

Victorian-government backed startup agency LaunchVic has granted another $300,000 to early-stage accelerator and investor Startmate to inspire around 300 university to become founders. The $300,000 grant over two years will see at least 320 Victorian university students complete the Startmate Student Fellowship, a three-week intensive designed to give students the confidence, connections and skills to… Read more »

Reactory founder Mark Eltom
Accelerator

It’s whisky Jim, but not as we know it: how distilling startup Reactory is creating mature flavours in days rather than decades

- May 15, 2023 4 MIN READ

Like so many of the world’s great tech companies, Reactory’s story starts in a garage. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, while others were making their own kombucha and sourdough, Mark Eltom bought a still, and started making and maturing booze. A few lockdowns in, he was getting pretty good at it. Mark is… Read more »

Southstart
Events

Southstart, Startmate and Rampersand are teaming up to give early stage founders a chance to talk with VCs and pitch their startups

- February 16, 2023 2 MIN READ

Adelaide ideas and innovation festival Southstart is joining forces with startup accelerator Startmate and VC Rampersand to create two new opportunities for this year’s program, under the theme Odyssey.  Rampersand’s Giant Warm Intro, which connects underrepresented founders with investors, and was a huge hit in Sydney last year (it returns in 2023) is heading to… Read more »

Startmate female founders
Accelerator

Andrew and Nicola Forrest back female founders at Startmate

- February 13, 2023 2 MIN READ

Mining billionaires Andrew and Nicola Forrest are backing female founders in the latest Startmate accelerator program in a bid to close the funding gap for women. The Forrests have signed a strategic partnership deal with Startmate through their private investment vehicle Tattarang.  The Summer23 cohort includes Raj Bagri from Kapture, who is working on decarbonising… Read more »

Business strategy

Startmate boss Michael Batko asked 15 leading startup founders ‘how do you CEO?’ – here’s what he learnt

- January 31, 2023 14 MIN READ

Startmate CEO Michael Batko spent nine months talking to 15 Australian startup founders, from unicorns such as Mr Yum and Culture Amp, to Brighte, Forage, 5B and Mintable. He published those interviews on his substack (see below for the links). Batko then took all he learnt and summarised their insights into “how to CEO” below.… Read more »

Startmate
Accelerator

Startmate ramps up early-stage startup valuations to $1.5 million, investing $120,000 in its next cohort

- October 27, 2021 2 MIN READ

Australian and New Zealand accelerator program Startmate is increasing the investment it makes in startups $75,000 to $120,000 as it goes on the hunt for its summer cohort. It’s also increased the valuations by 50% to $1.5 million, in a move that means the equity investment remains roughly the same, increasingly from 7.5% to 8.5%.… Read more »

Startmate
Accelerator

Startmate’s revamped Office Hours reboots as Open House from next week

- May 13, 2021 2 MIN READ

Startmate’s Open House program, kicks off next Monday, May 17. The free, two-week long virtual festival – the former Office Hours – gives budding and early-stage founders the chance to problem-solve and learn from expert founders and operators at some of the region’s top start-ups through 1:1 mentoring, founder-to-founder relationship building, fireside chats and functional… Read more »