10x Accelerator

We help you go faster with $100k+ of founder-friendly investment, powered by philanthropy 🚀

10x Accelerator invests in founders of technology startups and research ventures. We help you with your goals: get investment, win contracts or overcome challenges. We back you with founder-friendly funding, mentorship, and connections with alumni, researchers and students.

Applications for 2024 are closed. EOIs for 2025 are open.

Previous info session: watch a recording here.

The Program

Our 10-week intensive program is tailored to equip startup founders with the skills, connections and capital to get to market, scale and grow. 10x-ers emerge not just with knowledge, but with a robust, actionable strategy for success.

Westpac Accelerator Scholarships: Financial support for women and non-binary founders to go all-in

Westpac is proudly sponsoring three Westpac Accelerator Scholarships valued at $20,000 each to offer financial support to women and non-binary founders joining UNSW Founders 10x Accelerator programs. Applications open April 12. Learn more here.

UNSW Founders Portfolio

Program Benefits

  • 10-week tailored program: Receive a comprehensive, tailored program, free of charge.

  • Dedicated supporters: Every startup gets dedicated support from their Program Manager, Entrepreneur in Residence and Mentor. A maximum of 6 startups will be allowed, so there will be a lot of 1:1 support.

  • Expert mentorship: Gain access to seasoned mentors with a wealth of domain knowledge.

  • $100,000 seed investment: Secure a minimum $100,000 seed investment through a founder-friendly pre-money SAFE note: 15% discount, no valuation cap.

  • State-of-the-art R&D facilities: Hardware founders get access to a world-class makerspace and prototyping support. And science-based ventures access to cutting-edge services and facilities vital for your research and development (available upon completion of the program).

  • Free coworking and lab access: Enjoy up to six months of free access to our coworking space to advance your startup.

  • Westpac Accelerator Scholarships: Financial support for women and non-binary founders to go all-in. By application, with three scholarships awarded valued at $20,000 each. Apply here.

Post Program Support

Continued support: Post-accelerator, we continue to support our founders with co-working space, capital raising and recruitment support, and a killer network.

Follow on funding: If you’re tracking well, UNSW may follow on with up to $130,000 additional funding.

Essentials

Key Dates

10x Accelerator 2024 Dates

  • Info Session: 28 February (register here)

  • Pre-Accelerator: 2-30 May (more info here)

  • Applications open: 12 April

  • Applications close: 20 May

  • Bootcamp: 1-2 August

  • 10x Program commences: 7 August

  • 10x Program concludes: 9 October

  • 10x Demo Day: 24 October

Eligibility

You have a desire and a mission to create change

  • You’re building a tech-enabled startup or you’re an academic or researcher looking to spin out

  • You have a proof of concept, prototype or MVP with some market validation

  • Your company is (or will be!) an Australian registered Pty Ltd.

  • One of your co-founders is a current UNSW student, staff or alumni.

  • Prepared to commit time on a weekly basis to your startup

Is 10x for me?

  • You have an ambitious vision for the future

  • You’re looking for help to grow faster or get investment

    We excel at supporting:

  • Academics who have an early proof of concept with commercial interest in their research

  • B2B and B2C tech startups with an MVP or saleable product

  • Deep tech founders with longer product development timeframes

Meet the founders

Read all about us in the news