Events

Trying out the first event

Sydney Junior Devs’ Kevin McHugh says most of the engineers he meets have a side project. After all, engineers love building products, and many find themselves founding startups 🧑‍💻

But going from engineer to founder can be challenging. Founders are required to wear dozens of hats, deal with technical and non-technical responsibilities, and sell their vision to stakeholders, investors and customers to boot.

Nonetheless, Startmate and Sydney Junior Devs are of the opinion MORE ENGINEERS SHOULD FOUND STARTUPS, which is why we've organised a fireside-chat-AMA event with a stellar line-up of Engineers turned Founders ✌️

On the 11th of August at 6pm AEST, join us for a fireside chat with Baraja’s 

. For 30 minutes, we will set the scene, and hear about their founding stories. 

Then, every attendee will have the opportunity to jump into a 45-minute intimate breakout session with the Founder of their choice, for an ask-me-anything session. Come armed with your burning questions!

The Journey from Engineer to Founder

Everything you need to know to get the most out of Liminal*.

Welcome to Liminal* ✨ 

There’s no better time to join a startup than right now. There are a dozen reasons why, and we’re bringing in a star-studded panel to walk you through them. 

Why now's the time to join a startup: Panel discussion 🚀

Get to know other Liminal* attendees in a high-energy, 30-minute networking session. There will be conversation prompts, so just bring yourself.

Start building your community 👋 

Startups, generally speaking, are tech-powered companies. Startups differ from a ‘regular company’ because of their technology focus, which enables them to scale and innovate at a rapid rate. They are often powered by a team of engineers and driven by metrics and processes unique to startupland.

So, what do ‘non-technical’ people considering a job in tech need to know? How do you work with engineers? Is there lingo you need to know? Do non-technical people have a role to play in a startup’s growth?

 will answer all these questions and more. ✨ ⭐️

Tech for dummies, with Gretchen Scott

What do Sarvnaz Taherian and Julie Trell have in common?

If you've worked as a researcher, teacher or academic, worked within the education sector, or want to work in edtech, this is the panel for you.

30-minute panel discussion, followed by 30-minute AMAs. For the AMAs, each panellist will head to their own breakout room, with 50% of attendees. This will give you the chance to ask specific questions in a conversational, intimate environment. 

Get to know your panellists 👇 ✨ ⭐️

Academia & education to startups: Learn from women who made the leap

What do Tash Keuneman, Carola Velazquez Silva and Marina Vasilieva have in common?

If you studied design, work as a designer, or ave worked in a creative industry, this is the panel for you.

30-minute panel discussion, followed by 30-minute AMAs. For the AMAs, each panellist will head to their own breakout room, with 33% of attendees. This will give you the chance to ask specific questions in a conversational, intimate environment. 

Design to startups: Learn from women who made the leap

What do Tessa Hawthorn, Alicia Wells, Lucy SJ Luo, Judy Zhu and Niamh Mooney have in common?

If you studied law, work as a lawyer, have worked in the legal industry, or want to work in legaltech, this is the panel for you.

30-minute panel discussion, followed by 30-minute AMAs. For the AMAs, each panellist will head to their own breakout room, with 20% of attendees. This will give you the chance to ask specific questions in a conversational, intimate environment. 

Law to startups: Learn from women who made the leap

What do Hannah Field, Margeaux Scarf, Maddison Cox and Nicole So have in common?

If you've worked in sales or business development, or want to move into a relatable role within a startup, this is the panel for you.

30-minute panel discussion, followed by 30-minute AMAs. For the AMAs, each panellist will head to their own breakout room, with 25% of attendees. This will give you the chance to ask specific questions in a conversational, intimate environment. 

Sales and business development to startups: Learn from women who made the leap

NZ edition: AMA about the Women Fellowship

 is a two-month program helping ambitious women find their dream job in a startup.

It's a community-driven program, during which you will gain the tools, connections and confidence to hit the ground running in a fast-paced startup.

You’ll join a community of talented and inspiring women, and gain backstage access to the most iconic startups in Australia and New Zealand.

You will also receive personalised support from your own Coach, who will help you navigate the startup world with confidence.

Bring them to our AMA with Women Fellowship Associate Cristabel Gekas.

'Ask Me Anything' about the Women Fellowship

What do Vanessa Iezzi, Alisha Doring and Carina Waye have in common?

If you work as an office manager or assistant, work in a customer support role or carry out admin-heavy duties, this is the panel for you. 

Administration to startups: Learn from women who made the leap

What do Kiya Taylor, Courtney Blackman, Hannah Belcher, Colleen Gao, Paloma Newton have in common?

If you studied marketing, advertising, journalism or creative writing, if you've worked as a journalist, editor, marketer, advertiser, account manager, or if you've worked in comms, PR or media, this is the panel for you.

30-minute panel discussion, followed by 30-minute AMAs. For the AMAs, each panellist will head to their own breakout room, with 20% of attendees. This will give you the chance to ask specific questions in a conversational, intimate  environment. 

Advertising, marketing & comms to startups: Learn from women who made the leap

What do Frances Goh and Jessy Wu have in common?

If you've worked in consulting or strategy, or want to move into a strategic, ops or growth role at a startup, this is the panel for you.

Consulting & strategy to startups: Learn from women who made the leap

What do Phynia Dam Hong, Iva Charlopova and Nicole Tang have in common?

If you studied finance, work as an accountant or financial controller, or work in banking, insurance or finance, this is the panel for you.

Finance to startups: Learn from women who made the leap

What do Jackie Rabec and Jodie Auster have in common?

If you studied medicine or science, work as a doctor or nurse, work in STEM, this is the panel for you.

Medicine & science: Learn from women who made the leap

 is Director People Science at Culture Amp.

She has an  undergraduate and Masters in Psychology and has worked in career coaching, people, engagement, culture and people science.

In this keynote, Chloe will reflect on her career to date, and share what she's learnt along the way. 

Keynote: Chloe Hamman, Director People Science at Culture Amp

How do you make your resume stand out from the crowd? 

How do you translate your skill to startups? 

 will answer all these questions and more in this masterclass. 🔥 🔥

How to find a job in a startup 💚

 have landed startup jobs in the past few months. 

While their experiences and advice are fresh in their minds, we’re inviting them on-stage to share their lessons learnt with you.

How to set yourself up for startup success, with Women Fellowship Alumni 🏋🏻‍♀️ ✨

To ensure we finish Liminal* on a high, Sendle Chief Customer and Marketing Officer 

Eva has worked at both Sendle and Airbnb, where she ran APAC Marketing Operations and Strategy. She has a wealth of business and creative experience helping startups navigate rapid growth at scale, and doing it sustainably. 

Keynote: Eva Ross, Chief Customer and Marketing Officer at Sendle

Round two! Get to know other Liminal* attendees in a high-energy, 30-minute networking session. There will be conversation prompts, so just bring yourself.

Keep building your community 👋 

Culture Amp is without a doubt one of Australia’s biggest startup success stories. What started in a garage in Cremorne is now a global unicorn with more than 4,000 customers. 

It’s been a decade-long journey, with dozens and dozens of lessons learnt. And who better to share them than Culture Amp’s Chief Product Officer 

In this conversation, facilitated by Startmate’s Head of Accelerator 

, Rod will be talking about all-things product, and more specifically, research, design, development, customer experience and scaling. 

Culture Amp’s origin story, with Co-Founder Rod Hamilton

 unleashes the ambition of Australia and New Zealand’s best founders, and propels them toward their goals. 

Sound like you? Well, you're in luck, because 

applications for our Summer22 cohort are currently open. 

Got questions about the process, our mentors or the program itself? Bring them along to our Accelerator AMA. Startmate's Head of Accelerator Sascha Kerbert, 

 Co-Founder Jiao Xie and Heaps Normal Co-Founder Andy Miller will be there to answer all your questions. 

Applications close on the 14th of November.

Startmate Accelerator AMA, with Startmate's Sascha Kerbert, Transactional.ai's Jiao Xie and Heaps Normal's Andy Miller

 was an astrophysics researcher at both NASA and Stanford University. But for the past 15 odd years, he has been making a name for himself in Silicon Valley. First, he was a product leader at Google, and then the Founder of now-acquired Sosh.

Today he is the Co-Founder and CEO of Future, an online personal training platform, which helps users level-up their fitness by matching them with a world-class trainer.

It’s safe to say, he has some learnings to share, whether it relates to ideation, product-market fit, building a two-sided marketplace, fundraising or building diversity into a business model. 

Intrigued? Join Rishi and Startmate’s Head of Accelerator 

 for a deep dive into all things company building.

Lessons from the Future, with Founder Rishi Mandal

Waste is undoubtedly one of humanity's biggest problems. And as the world’s population increases, it figures the consumer economy will expand, and our waste output will too. 

These are the questions SM Underground host

If you’re keen for answers, we’d love you to join them in the studio.

The future of waste, with Phoebe Gardner, Jayden Klinac and Prisca Ongonga-Daehn

 and do some digging, you’ll learn she came up with the idea for HealthMatch a few years ago. 

Her hypothesis was that technology could educate patients about and match them with ongoing research into their health condition, and on the flip side, make it easier for researchers to fill their trials. In 2017, she built the first HealthMatch prototype, took it to TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield Australia, and won her pitch. 

In 2018, she raised $1.3 million, in 2019, she bagged $6 million, and just last year she closed a $18 million round. Today, HealthMatch is transforming the $1 billion Australian clinical trials industry, with more than 80,000 users on the platform. 

That’s the ‘what’. But what you might not find on Google is the ‘how’.

If you want to know how Manuri has built one of Australia's most successful healthtech startups, this is the session for you. This conversation will be facilitated by Startmate’s Head of Accelerator 

How to build a global health company, with Founder Manuri Gunawardena

There’s no denying that sextech is getting more and more accessible, advanced and trendy. After all, it’s a $30 billion industry. The numbers speak for themselves.

The future of sextech, with Lucy Wark and Bryony Cole

If you've got questions about the program, bring them along to our 'ask me anything session, 

with Startmate's Senior Investment Associate 

 ahead of time to ensure it gets answered on the day. Plus, you'll be able to upvote other questions you'd like the answers to. 

AMA about First Believers

Melbournians, join us for a drink on the last Thursday of every month!

whether you’re a member of the Startmate family, curious about a Startmate program, or simply a startup fan. You’re also welcome to bring your plus-1s and anyone interested in a Startmate offering.

Please RSVP each month so we can accommodate numbers.

Monthly Startmate drinks | Melbourne

 is a podcast dedicated to sharing real founder stories. 

First launched in mid-2020, it has quickly cemented itself as a leading, ever-reliable startup podcast, much of which has to do with host 

 and his unique approach to storytelling. 

 will be asking Mason about the ideation of Wild Hearts, breaking into the podcast market, developing a unique brand, building a loyal audience, hosting finesse, and balancing authenticity with business outcomes.

It's a must-attend event for content creators, aspiring podcast hosts and anyone currently or considering using content to drive business outcomes. 

How to build a timeless podcast, with Wild Hearts' Mason Yates

 is Director of Customer and Commercial at 

, an intelligence platform stopping crime for good. 

, a startup dedicated to reshaping the global system. 

Prior to landing these dream startup roles, they held management consulting, retail, science research and growth roles, so it's safe to say they both know a thing or two about making big career pivots.

 will be asking Maisy and Kylene about their decision to make the leap, their plans of attack, identifying their transferable skills, how they connected with startups, the interview process, and what it's like on the other side, among other things. 

It's a must-attend event if you too are thinking of making the leap into tech.

How to land a startup job, with Auror's Kylene Jones and Bardee's Maisy Bennett

In dire need of a new headshot to help you revive your LinkedIn and stand out from the crowd? We've got you covered.* 

 will be at the Startmate office on March 1st snapping pics from 6-8pm. 

We'll also be hosting after-work drinks at this time, so you're welcome to hang around before or after you get your photo snapped for a refreshment and chat too.

*One complementary headshot per person. ⚡️

Headshots for career changes

If you're currently or soon-to-be applying for startup jobs, you probably have a few questions...

How can you stand out when applying? How should you prepare for interviews? What questions are you likely to be asked? What soft and hard skills are startups looking for? 

In this fireside chat, you'll get answers from MILKRUN's 

How to ace a startup job interview, with MILKRUN's Shelby Kesselheim and Investible's Celeste Kocabay

It's hard to make friends once you reach adulthood, but it's bloody brilliant when you do. With this in mind, we're hosting a speed friending event for the women of Melbourne!

It'll be much like it sounds... There will be pre-set questions designed to break the ice, mood music, refreshments and an obnoxious buzzer. 

Absolutely everyone is welcome at this event, regardless of whether you've heard of Startmate, but we do ask that you BYO open-mind and smile. It's going to be fun, we promise. 

And the more the merrier, of course, so please invite your friends. (In saying this, you absolutely do not need to know anyone to come to this event. You'll know dozens of new people by the end of the night.)

Women's speed friending | Melbourne

Curious about what the Women Fellowship is actually like?

The best people to ask are those who've done the program... which is why we're inviting anyone interested in the Women Fellowship to a 'Breakfast club' with our alumni. 

Come along and ask your big, burning questions. This is your chance to get an unfiltered, first-hard perspective. 

Breakfast club

Applications for our inaugural Media Fellowship are open!

Startmate’s Media Fellowship is a community-driven bootcamp that will help you hone your content skills and carve out a niche in the tech-media landscape.

You’ll learn from internationally recognised content creators, be supported by some of the best journalists and content experts in the region, and most importantly, be surrounded by like-minded peers as you level-up your craft.

Got questions about the program? Bring them along to our upcoming 'ask me anything' session with 

Media Fellowship AMA

Applications for our A22 Women Fellowship cohort are now open!

Startmate's Women Fellowship is a two-month program helping ambitious women find their dream job in a startup.

Women Fellowship AMA

Scrap linear career paths. Forget climbing the corporate ladder. Neither will bring you the joy and fulfilment and life-long learning you crave.

Instead, you should think of your career as a painting. It should be unique, layered, emotive and inspiring. 

 will teach you how to pick your paints and reimagine your career.

How to reimagine your career, with Startmate's Sophia Witherington

Get to know our Summer22 Accelerator cohort at Demo Day in Auckland. 🚀

This April 13th, Startmate is hosting three in-person Summer22 Demo Day watch parties — in Auckland, Sydney and Melbourne (kicking off at 6.30pm local time) — as well as our much-anticipated virtual Demo Day (kicking off at 6.30pm AEST).

From art licensing and plastic waste transformation to chemical procurement and social fitness for Gen Z, Startmate’s Summer22 Accelerator cohort is one of our most impressive yet.

On April 13th, you’re invited to an in-person celebration of everything this cohort has accomplished to date, and for a peek at everything they plan to achieve in the future.

The 16 companies in our S22 cohort span education, fintech, blockchain, energy and climate innovation, artificial intelligence, fitness and virtual events, and are innovating solutions both locally and on a global scale. 

We can’t wait to celebrate their success with you!

*Due to the in-person nature of this event, we do have capacity limits. Grab your ticket ASAP to avoid missing out.

Startmate is the epicentre for startup ambition across Australia and New Zealand.

We accelerate the most ambitious founders, operators and investors through our programs, propelled by a highly-trusted mentor-driven community, and backed by the best angels, venture funds and tech startups in the region.

Over the past decade we have invested in 170+ startups, with a collective portfolio value of more than $2 billion. And we are just getting started.

Our S22 cohort is supported by Victoria's startup agency LaunchVic.

Startmate Summer22 Demo Day | Auckland

Get to know our Summer22 Accelerator cohort at Demo Day in Melbourne. 🚀

Startmate Summer22 Demo Day | Melbourne

Get to know our Summer22 Accelerator cohort at Demo Day in Sydney. 🚀

Boogie Mountain and the Sweethearts Rooftop at the 

Startmate Summer22 Demo Day | Sydney

Get to know our Summer22 Accelerator cohort at our virtual Demo Day. 🚀

This April 13th, Startmate is hosting three in-person Summer22 Demo Day watch parties — in Auckland, Sydney and Melbourne (kicking off at 6.30pm local time) — as well as our much-anticipated virtual Demo Day (kicking off at 7.30pm AEST).

On April 13th, you’re invited to a virtual celebration of everything this cohort has accomplished to date, and for a peek at everything they plan to achieve in the future.

Startmate Summer22 Demo Day | Virtual

Sydneysiders, join us for a drink on the last Thursday of every month!

Monthly Startmate drinks | Sydney

early-stage and prospective healthtech founders

We're partnering with Mindset Health to create the space for you to have rich conversations with each other about 

all-things health innovation and solution-building

. This is a casual mixer-style event, where you’ll meet people who can truly help you and actually ‘get it’.

This event is a part of our SM Underground series. Check out our other events via the links below.

We look forward to what will be an evening of rich, rewarding conversations.

*Due to capacity restrictions this event can accommodate 30 attendees

and registrations will be accepted on a first-come first-serve basis. 

Let’s talk about health | Melbourne 🩺

This event is a part of our SMUnderground series. Check out our other events via the links below.

Let’s talk about health | Sydney 🩺

early-stage and prospective climatetech founders

We’re partnering with Climate Salad to create the space for you to have rich conversations with each other about 

all-things climate innovation and solution-building

This event is part of our SM Underground series. Check out our other events via the links below.

Let’s talk about climate | Melbourne 🌎

Let’s talk about climate | Sydney 🌎

early-stage and prospective web3 founders

Our SM Underground series is back to create the space for you to have rich conversations with each other about 

Check out our other events via the links below.

Let’s talk about web3 | Melbourne 📱

all-things web3 innovation and solution-building