Swinburne Elevate Program
Accelerate your startup’s growth with equity-free funding and targeted financial support for the essential legal and financial services your startup needs to scale. At the heart of this dynamic 12-week program is hands-on coaching, deep collaboration within a high-calibre founder cohort, and direct access to world-leading industry experts, mentors, and investors, giving you the guidance, network, and momentum to move faster and build stronger.
Applications open Tuesday 2 June 2026 and close at 11.59pm, Wednesday 8 July 2026.
Expression of interest
Applications for the 2025 Elevate Program have closed. You can express your interest to be the first to hear when 2026 applications open or explore other programs at the Swinburne Innovation Studio.
Scale your startup and become investment ready
Strengthen your startup’s growth trajectory while building the foundations for scale. The Elevate Program supports founders with targeted, equity-free capital and expert guidance to help refine strategy, validate scalable business models, and prepare for investment so growth is sustainable, repeatable, and fundable.
We are seeking founders with the ambition, determination, and resilience to build impactful, financially sustainable and scalable businesses. The Elevate Program (formerly known as the Accelerator Program) is designed for mid-stage startups with a launched MVP, product, or service; early customer validation or a clear go-to-market strategy; and founders ready to convert traction into scalable growth and investment readiness.
What you can receive
All successful participants/teams will receive*:
- In-person access to Swinburne's pioneering Elevate Program sessions featuring in-depth workshops and masterclasses, bespoke mentoring and coaching and weekly accountability sessions
- $10,000 in equity-free funding distributed in instalments
- $10,000 in credits towards essential financial and legal services
- Up to three months of rent-free co-working space at Swinburne’s Hawthorn campus, subject to availability and program conditions
- Valuable connections to world-leading industry experts, entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors
- A unique opportunity to pitch directly to investors, mentors and potential partners at the flagship Venture Cup Pitch Night
- Priority access to Swinburne Ventures Limited's investment committee
*Conditions apply.
Eligibility criteria
We are seeking startups with market-ready products or services, led by founders eager to scale rapidly and who are currently preparing for a pre-seed or seed-fundraising round. Eligible startups must also meet the criteria to qualify for funding from Swinburne Ventures Limited, which include:
- Stage of venture – seed or pre-seed with a MVP, validated problem and early customer traction
- Venture focus – technology-based
- Business model – has to be scalable (i.e. can't be a small business or consultancy)
- Incorporation – needs to be an Australian registered business
- Team composition – either (1) at least one founder must be staff, student or alumni or (2) startups that have strong alignment with Swinburne's focus areas and strengths, with at least one founder to attend all sessions
- Purpose and impact – focuses on solving a real validated problem
Elevate Program Information Night
Missed the Info Night? If you're interested in applying, you can learn more about the Elevate Program by watching the recording or downloading the presentation.
Have questions about the Elevate Program?
- Email us at innovationstudio@swinburne.edu.au
- Connect with us on LinkedIn for the latest program updates
- Sign up to the Swinburne Innovation Studio newsletter
Schedule a session with us
You can also schedule a 15-minute session with our team to discuss your application and goals for the program. Simply email us at innovationstudio@swinburne.edu.au to lock in a time.
Program highlights
Discover all the details about our program from 2024.
Venture Cup Pitch Night
Watch the Elevate Program participants pitch their startup ideas during the Venture Cup Pitch Night in 2024.
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- University
Inspiration and innovation collide at Swinburne’s best-ever Venture Cup
The 2025 Venture Cup was hailed the best yet, as innovative startups competed for top honours in a dynamic pitch event that celebrated creativity, technology, and impact.
Friday 31 October 2025
Our success stories
Learn about a few of the many successful graduates from the Elevate Program.
Founded by recent Swinburne alum Oliver Farnill and co-founder Finnlay Morcombe, Fluency participated in the 2023 Elevate (Accelerator) program.
Throughout the 12-week journey with the Innovation Studio, the team diligently developed their startup, focusing on customer insights, business validation, and constructing a minimum viable product through various workshops.
Since its inception in early 2023, Fluency has generated significant market interest, with several companies currently trialling the software and moving towards full implementation.
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- Technology
- University
Swinburne-founded software startup Fluency launches first product suite
Fluency, a startup co-founded by a Swinburne alum, is launching its first product suite aimed at streamlining manual documentation processes.
Friday 10 May 2024
Founded by Alex Sinickas, Milkdrop participated in the 2020 Elevate (Accelerator) program. Through the Innovation Studio, Alex was connected with Swinburne researchers to develop a prototype.
Over the 12-week program, Milkdrop honed their packaging, branding, and go-to-market strategy. Shortly after, Milkdrop successfully launched its first product in Australia.
“The Swinburne Accelerator Program connected us with excellent mentors and transformed our venture into a fully-fledged company,” says Alex Sinickas, co-founder of Milkdrop.
Founded by Swinburne alum Manon Beauchamp-Tardieu, Little Green Panda participated in the 2020 Elevate (Accelerator) program. Since then, the company has sold over 3.1 million compostable sugar cane straws distributed across 10 countries. Little Green Panda has also successfully expanded its business model, launching a new line of home-compostable coffee cup products.
“The Swinburne Accelerator Program has changed the way we look at our business. We now have strong structures in place and a clear vision that will ensure continuous success as we grow. We have gained valuable knowledge and a great network of industry experts,” says Manon Beauchamp-Tardieu, founder of Little Green Panda.
Our previous startups
Little Green Panda is a sustainable packaging startup making compostable drinking straws from agriculture waste products. To date, they’ve replaced 3.1 million straws in over 10 countries from polluting our landfills and oceans.
Founders:
Manon Beauchamp-Tardieu
Darine Djendoubi
Teresa Aylott
Loris Campanile
Automation Acoustics is introducing a remote monitoring tool that provides data visualisation (industry 4.0) to industries using automated welding. In doing so, it aims to solve the lack of real-time visibility in production process required to make decisions.
Founders:
Anthony Lele
Armando Manzano
milkdrop is designing a new wave of breast pumps and accessories. They draw on the latest technology in design, materials and manufacturing to help mums express milk faster, more comfortably and with less fuss.
Founders:
Alexandra Sinickas
Andrew Mason
Ravi Bessabava
Daniel Prohasky
Through smartphone interfaces, Fishable is creating simple, accurate and fun ways to measure your catch that helps build knowledge of sustainable fishing practices.
Founders:
Adjunct Professor Jacyl Shaw – Co-Founder
Dr Adrian Collins – Co-Founder and Director
mDetect detectors use particles from space to give X-ray style scans of substances. They can create a 3D image of the density of a region allowing identification, monitoring and evaluation. mDetect can reveal hidden structures that no other technique can – using detectors that are small, robust and cost-effective thanks to their patented microelectronics.
Founders:
Professor Alan Duffy – CEO
Dr Jerome Donovan – COO
Dr Eryadi Masli – CFO
Shanti Krishnan – CTO
Craig Webster – Chief Engineer
Scriibi is an online tool that teachers use to develop their students' written communication skills. Scriibi's data-informed teaching and learning tools integrate into existing frameworks and help teachers develop practices and differentiate learning to ensure students reach their full potential.
Founders:
Samantha and David Nicolaides
Strong Room is a health-tech startup founded to further integrate the healthcare IT ecosystem. Early case studies have shown that the Strong Room pharmacotherapy management software can save pharmacists up to 30 percent in time.
Founders:
Max Mito, Christopher Durre and Kieran Start
Making the unseen visible, SNA Toolbox helps organisations to realise their social capital through its unique technology platform optimising the hidden social structure of organisations.
Founders:
Dean Lusher and Peng Wang
ASPIRE connects resource generators with reuse and recycling users, using technology developed by CSIRO and Data61 to reduce the rate of landfill across Australia. ASPIRE is currently helping 300 businesses covering 15 councils across Victoria with their resource management.
Founder:
Cameron McKenzie
Frequently asked questions
| Activity | Date |
|---|---|
| Info Night | Thursday 11 June 2026 |
| Applications open | Tuesday 2 June 2026 |
| Applications close | 11.59pm, Wednesday 8 July 2026 |
| Interviews | Monday 13 July – Friday 17 July 2026 |
| Program period | Tuesday 4 August – Tuesday 20 October 2026 |
| Venture Cup Pitch Night | Tuesday 27 October 2026 |
The best way to understand the Elevate Program is by watching the recording from the 2025 Elevate Program Info Night, which provides an overview of the program structure, founder expectations, funding conditions, and delivery format.
Applicants are also encouraged to attend the 2026 Elevate Program Info Night, where we will share updated details and answer questions live. Follow us on LinkedIn for more information.
Please note that at least one founder must be able to attend all program sessions in person. Sessions are not recorded or delivered online, as the core value of the program is delivered through facilitated, in-person workshops and cohort collaboration, supported by a digital platform for additional resources.
Funding is tied to your startup’s progress and active engagement in the program and is paid in installments.
For further clarification, please watch the 2025 Info Night recording. If you still have questions, email innovationstudio@swinburne.edu.au to arrange a 15-minute online discussion.
The Elevate Program is targeted towards Swinburne students, staff and alumni with the company’s founder who has the Swinburne connection holding at least a 10% stake in the venture.
If you do not have a Swinburne connection but your startup is developing solutions in industries aligned with Swinburne’s research strengths and capabilities - including climate, advanced manufacturing, health and MedTech, space, aerospace and AI, there may still be an opportunity to participate.
In these cases, we encourage you to reach out so we can discuss fit, potential value, and possible pathways to engagement. This may include a conversation with our commercialisation team who specialise in these areas. Please contact innovationstudio@swinburne.edu.au to arrange a 30-minute discussion with our team.
Founders are the individuals who established the company and hold equity in the business, reflecting their shared ownership, risk, and reward in creating and growing the venture.
Yes, we would love for you to apply for the program.
While it’s not strictly required, the program strongly prefers that at least one founder is working full-time on the startup or has a clear plan and ambition to transition to full-time as soon as possible. The expectation is that founders dedicate sufficient time to fully engage with the program and accelerate their startup’s growth.
No, you retain full ownership of the company including any intellectual property.
Yes, you are welcome to apply for our program.
During the Elevate Program, each participating startup receives $10,000 in equity-free funding, provided in instalments to support your venture’s growth. Additionally, there is a separate $10,000 allocation specifically dedicated to legal and financial support to help you navigate these critical areas with expert guidance.
During and beyond the program, we facilitate introductions to a network of investors as relevant. Promising startups may also be considered for investment by Swinburne Ventures Limited (Swinburne’s dedicated investment arm) which supports high-potential ventures aligned with our focus areas.
Our goal is to not only accelerate your development during the program, but also to open doors to ongoing funding and strategic support as you scale.
Explore more of our programs
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Swinburne Initiate Program
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Swinburne Luminate Program
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Swinburne Initiate Express (Virtual Program)
Want to know more?
If you have any questions, need more information or you're wondering how Swinburne Innovation Studio can help turn your big idea into a real thing, contact us via email at innovationstudio@swinburne.edu.au.