Incubator Program
INCUBATE is set to provide the University of Sydney students, researchers and recent alumni with the exciting opportunity to realise high-potential startups on campus.
What Funded Applicants Receive
- $5,000 business grant with no equity taken (we don’t take a share in your business)
- Working space on campus over the summer break
- Mentoring, advice and guidance from some of Australia’s most experienced mentors and Sydney University alumni
- Internet, printing, office resources and use of University of Sydney Union meeting rooms
- Access to some other professional networks of Sydney University and supporting organisations
INCUBATE will also leverage internal programs at Sydney University including (where appropriate) seeking mentoring from the Warren Centre of Innovation, commercialisation networks attached to the University, and through the world-class research institution, National Information Communications and Technology Australia (NICTA).
Applicant Eligibility Criteria
To apply for the INCUBATE program, at least one team-member must:
- Hold a current University of Sydney Union Access card
- Be currently enrolled at Sydney University or
- Be a current researcher at Sydney University or
- Be a recent alumnus of Sydney University (class of 2009 and after only)
Successful startup teams are expected to:
- Devote a significant amount of time (over 20 hours per week) for the duration of the summer break to working on their startup. Applicants will work with organisers to determine acceptable time divisions (Christmas break period of two weeks is included)
- Work at our dedicated working space on campus
- Utilise the mentoring available through the program and attend workshops and events
- Attend weekly dinners/presentations
External funding and stage of your business
If you have received external funding, in any form, it will not affect your application. Similarly, your startup team’s stage in business (i.e. early in the idea stage or later stage with a defined customer based) will also not affect your application.
Other Entrepreneurship programs on campus
Students who partake in Technology Venture Creation and Sydney Genesis Entrepreneurship Competition or other similar programs on campus are strongly recommended to apply.
Application Schedule
- Applications open: Week 8, Monday 17 September, Sydney time
- Applications close: week 11, Friday 19 October 11:59pm, Sydney time
- Finalist interviews will be conducted between the 26 – 29 November, potentially earlier
- Funded teams will be announced on Friday, 30 November, at the very latest
Incubator Schedule
- 11 week program starting from Monday 3 December 2012 and ending Friday 1 March 2013
- Week 1: Inductions into co-working space on Monday 3 December with mentor reception on Tuesday 4 of December
- Christmas Holiday period: 18 December to 2 January
- Week 11 Demonstration Day: Teams will present their startup projects to investors and guests during O-Week 2013 between Wednesday 27 February – Friday 1 March
- Weekly: All groups will come together for a weekly free dinner with talks from local and visiting entrepreneurs (some of these talks will be open to the public)
Demonstration Day O-Week 2013
INCUBATE cumulates with a Demonstration Day on campus during O-Week 2013. All teams will pitch their business and progress to investors, invited guests and interested students. O-Week at Sydney University is one of the largest in Australia and provided by the University of Sydney Union. O-Week will act as an exciting platform for the startup teams to gain wider recognition and potentially generate further investment to continue to work on their startups.
Don’t have an idea but would like to join a startup?
Student Program Directors
INCUBATE will require at least one motivated and entrepreneurial student to join the organisational team in 2013. If you are interested in potentially applying or if you would like to help with the organisation of the incubator program and events please get in touch.
Other Terms and Conditions of the INCUBATE Program
- Any intellectual property created by INCUBATE participants will belong to the individual or team involved – INCUBATE and the University of Sydney Union want to create an environment where participants are free to innovate, create and invent
- All participants are expected to acknowledge that their involvement of the ‘Incbate’ program with use of our logo on all public facing materials
- All participants are expected to provide a report and breakdown of how the seed funding was used at the end of the program – there are no restrictions in how the teams use their funding but guidance and recommendations will be made at the beginning of the program
- Provide feedback on the program at the end of the incubation period
- All participants must independently decide what information to share with Incubate program its outside advisors, or any other third party.
- All participants must agree to period reviews by INCUBATE organisers – if your team are not making progress due to unforeseen circumstances we have the right to open your co-working space to another finalist team
