START Program 2026 Cohort 3

Does your idea have commercial potential? 

Join the Incubator's START Program and learn practical skills to validate your idea and market opportunity, and be in the running to win from a pool of $20,000 in seed funding for your startup idea!

In this highly interactive program, our expert-in-residence will take you on a journey using tools from lean startup and Design Thinking techniques to:

• define the problem you are solving

• test your hypotheses with end users, beneficiaries and stakeholders

• articulate the value proposition of your idea

• prototype your idea

• build out your pitch deck and pitch your idea to sell to market

Not only will you emerge from the program with more confidence about where to take your idea next, you'll also meet like-minded people from across the university who are on a similar journey and benefit from their networks, advice, peer support, and hopefully friendship!

Program Delivery & Dates

This program will be delivered over 1 week with 4 in-person days required. It is expected that you attend 80% of workshops in order to receive your MQU microcredential.

Schedule:

• Monday 2nd November - 9.30 – 12.30pm - Day 1

• Tuesday 3rd - 10.30 – 12.00pm - Day 2

• Wednesday  4th - 9.30am - 11.30am - Day 3

• Wednesday 4th - Monday 9th  - Self-paced online modules on Pitching Skills

• Monday 9th - 10am - 12pm - Final Pitch Presentation

Students that want to be in the running to receive funding from the $20,000 pool will then continue on in the program to pitch coaching a final session.

Click here for more information about our START Program.