Entrepreneurship for Arts, Design & Architecture
Empowering the entire ADA community to unlock their entrepreneurial potential and build livelihoods around their expertise.
UNSW Founders and the Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture have teamed up to empower ADA’s vibrant community. This partnership celebrates creativity and entrepreneurship, helping students, staff, alumni and researchers turn bold ideas into real-world impact. We believe creativity is an entrepreneurial superpower, and we want to enable every faculty member to pursue their dreams.
Through immersive workshops, 1:1 coaching, peer-led freelance opportunities, and dynamic community events, we’re building a culture of creative entrepreneurship — right here in ADA. Whether you dream of launching a design studio, starting a social enterprise, or selling your art to the right audience, this collaboration gives you the tools, guidance, and network to make it happen.
Students
From first-year undergrads to PhD candidates, our programs are designed to help you turn your creative skills into real-world opportunities. Whether you dream of launching an art gallery, building a freelance career, or creating your own firm, we’ll give you the tools to make it happen.
Staff
Whether you’re shaping ideas as an Early Career Academic, leading innovation as a senior researcher, or supporting creativity as professional staff — we’re here to help. Our programs empower you to explore entrepreneurial pathways, amplify your impact, and bring your expertise to life beyond the university..
We’re here to help:
Alumni
Are you a graduate from the Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture? You have lifelong, free access to UNSW Founders programs. Stay connected, keep learning, and continue building ventures that reflect your passion and creativity.
Resources and Events
1:1 Entrepreneurial Mentoring
Got a bold idea or an emerging creative business? Coach & Connect is your gateway to expert guidance. Delivered exclusively online, this service pairs you with an experienced startup coach who understands the journey from concept to impact.
There’s no cap on the number of sessions — our coaches are here for the entire ride. From mapping out your first steps, to shaping your first marketing campaign or planning for growth, we’ll help you turn creativity into a thriving venture.
Dedicated Team
Workshops
Our tailored workshops are designed to help the ADA community build entrepreneurial confidence and skills. Whether you’re an architect, designer, artist, social scientist, or construction professional, you’ll find practical tools to bring your ideas to life.
From exploring new concepts and shaping a business plan to mastering how to reach and sell to your audience, these sessions cover every stage of the journey. Best of all: they’re completely free for everyone in ADA, and always will be.
Hackathons
Do you have an idea that you would like to explore in a low-stakes, low-pressure environment? Our hackathons could be the perfect forum. Designed to take place over a short stretch of time — like a weekend — our hackathons give participants the chance to build something weird, wonderful, and sometimes wacky. For members of the ADA community, these events can often lay the groundwork for future projects.
ADA Freelance Launchpad
Are you a member of the ADA community who would like to be your own boss? Our ADA Freelance Launchpad is here to help. Simply book a session with our Entrepreneurial Community Manager, and we’ll work with you to make your plans a reality.
Whether you want to start your own architecture or construction firm, create an online gallery, or find work as a freelance designer, your goals are within reach.
The Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture has a dedicated team ready to support you — whether you’re a student, staff member, researcher, or alum — at every stage of your entrepreneurial journey. Curious about entrepreneurship? Exploring a creative idea? Already building a venture? We’re here to assist.
From tailored programs and mentoring to community events and funding pathways, we’ll connect you with the right people, opportunities, and resources to turn your passion into impact.
Paddington Coffee & Connect
Wondering where to begin on your entrepreneurial journey? Coffee & Connect is a great place to start. Drop by for a free coffee (or tea) and a friendly chat with the UNSW Founders team. No pitches, no pressure – just a relaxed, informal session to help you explore your ideas, ask “what if?”, and connect with others who think a little differently.
The UNSW Founders Coffee & Connects have been popular at the Kensington campus for some time. Now, as part of the Founders/ADA partnership, they will also become a regular fixture at the Paddington campus from 2026. Come by, get caffeinated, and bring your Big Idea to life!
ADA Events in 2026 | Coming Soon
Creativity in Action
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Creativity in Action ✳
ADA Entrepreneurs
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Luka McDade, Co-Founder of Modospace
“I have an awkwardly shaped home/room/space, and no furniture will fit there. What can I do?”
This is the problem that ADA student and Makerspace staffer Luka McDade set out to solve. Along with his co-founder, Fin Hinchcliffe, Luka launched Modospace — a platform that allows users to order bespoke furniture, custom-built for awkward spaces.
While Modospace may be a young company, they’ve hit the ground running. In 2025, they won the Next Big Thing Award at the Peter Farrell Cup. And with cramped housing more common than ever, Modospace is destined to thrive.
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John McGhee, Founder of Radiant Jelly
To some, John McGhee is a Professor of 3D Visualisation within UNSW’s Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture. To others, he is renowned as the founder and director of the 3DXLab — a multidisciplinary, immersive tech-focused research facility.
But to those in the startup space, John’s name is synonymous with Radiant Jelly — a UNSW spinout company on the cutting edge of AI-powered 4D volumetric video. Through proprietary technology, Radiant Jelly seeks to revolutionise XR, gaming, VFX, and live performance.
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Tom Loefler, Founder of Hullbot
“Ship hull maintenance”, “autonomous robots”, and “Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture” are three phrases you may not have expected to read in the same sentence. Fortunately, Industrial Design alum Tom Loefler and his company Hullbot are here to surprise you.
Hullbot builds autonomous underwater robots that remove biofouling from ship hulls — reducing maintenance costs, improving efficiency, reducing fuel burn, and cutting emissions. And having raised $16 million via investment in late 2025, Hullbot are set to scour hulls across the seven seas.
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