CompSci Pitch Comp
Your golden ticket to pitch for $100,000 investment.
Every year, we see remarkable Computer Science Engineering (CSE) students who aren’t just talking about ideas. They’re already building real products, shipping features, and earning their first dollars. But even the strongest side hustles need the right platform to grow.
That’s why we’re launching the CompSci Pitch Comp (T1 2026). A dedicated pathway for CSE founders who’ve already proven they can build, and are ready to take the next step.
Designed in collaboration with UNSW Founders and Industry and Innovation, the program gives student-led startups the structure, guidance, and stage they need to mature from early traction to something truly scalable.
With a $10,000 prize pool up for grabs, the winner also receives a golden ticket, guaranteeing them the rare opportunity to pitch to the UNSW Investment Committee for up to $100,000 in funding, a right usually reserved for academics.
Applications for T1 2026 are open now!
9 Weeks
To refine your pitch and your business plan.
100 Spots
100 spots available to join the program with a final 10 pitching to judges.
10k Prize Pool
Cash prizes up for grabs at the end of the 9 weeks.
HOW IT WORKS
CompSci Pitch Comp
Go from side hustle to startup in 9 weeks.
Program Eligibility
The CompSci Pitch Comp is open to all students in the School of Computer Science and Engineering who meet the following criteria:
Be a current UNSW CSE undergraduate or postgraduate student (including combined degrees).
Have built a functioning MVP or product — something real users can interact with.
Have generated at least $1 in revenue (proof of early traction).
Be able to commit to the program timeline (Weeks 1–9, including pitch events).
Have a team of 1–4 students (solo founders welcome).
Hold an ABN (or be able to register one before the pitch competition).
Optional but encouraged:
A technical build or prototype hosted online (GitHub repo, live demo, etc.).
Evidence of customer insight or user feedback gathered to date.
Timeline
Applications Open: Now – 12 Feb 2026
O-Week Launch Party: 12 Feb 2026, 4:30pm - 7pm
Sprint Weeks (T1 Weeks 1–5, weekly optional workshops): 16 Feb – 20 March, 2026
Knockout Rounds Begin (Week 6, flex week): 23 March, 2026
Top 10 Announced: 30 March, 2026
Pitch Refinement Week: 30 March - 10 April, 2026
Final Pitch Competition (Week 9): 16 Apr, 2026
You’re in good company
UNSW Founders supports 400+ startups every year across our All Industries, Health, Climate, Defence, Bio 10x Accelerator programs.
We have a proven track record turning technical ideas into impact.
Since inception of our Accelerator Programs in 2018, the 100+ graduating startups have:
Raised $150 million of investment capital post program; Created 500+ jobs, and Generated over $600 million in enterprise value.
Alongside our expert mentors
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Gary Zamel
Chairman New Medtek Devices
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Linda Koschier
Managing Director at Ideematec
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Dr Graham Doig
Founder/CEO, Seaflight Technologies (YC S22)
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Gabriella Nunes
Director, Research & Commercialisation, TRaCE
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Dr Alan Taylor
Executive Chairperson of Clarity Pharmaceuticals
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Jamie Conyngham
Director, Business Development & Commercialisation, UNSW
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Prof Ian Gibson
Deputy Dean Industry Engagement, Innovation and Research at UNSW Engineering
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David Burt
Director of Entrepreneurship, UNSW
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Chris Baxter
Founder of Baxter IP
Don’t just take our word for it
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"I think the most extensive learning is really getting experience. The next best thing is to learn from other people's experiences. So, you don't make the same mistake, and that's what you can only get by attracting and having a startup ecosystem. And that's what I got from UNSW Founders."
Dr Anthony Sunjaya
(Founder of BandingMed) -
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"The startup world is surprisingly supportive… and your next collaborator might be just down the hall, ready to help you climb that mountain. Even just by being in this building, we found one of our main collaborators.”
Alinta Furnell
(Founder of Synbiote) -
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"I didn't want just to learn new things to improve my skills during my PhD; I wanted to translate my research findings into a practical product."
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"Just being part of that community was giving us a lot of confidence in what we're doing, instead of just doing it alone in our silos. We kind of felt part of that community and talking with others, sharing some of the challenges that everybody's going through when you are actually founding the company, and I have to be honest; I actually miss it."
Meead Saberi
(Founder of Footpath.ai)
Frequently Asked Questions
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To be eligible for the Fellowship you must be an “Early Career Academic" in Engineering on a fixed-term contract. There is a formal definition of an Early Career Academic used throughout the sector, including by UNSW here:
The employee is within seven years (relative to opportunity) of having been awarded a PhD or recognised equivalent
The employee is classified as a member of the academic staff of UNSW
The appointment is at Level A-C.
This Fellowship aims to support these talented individuals (specifically in engineering) by providing the resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities needed to translate their innovative research into successful startups.
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The program spans over 3-18 months full time. We need strong commitment from you and the strong support from your Supervisor.
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The Fellowship starts 1 October. More details will be shared with the shortlisted applicants.
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This Fellowship is beneficial for Engineering postdocs who want to become entrepreneurs. If you want to apply the skills and knowledge you acquired as an academic into products that can benefit humanity, this is Fellowship is for you.
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As long as your visa status allows it, you are eligible to be part of the program.
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The defined salary level will be your current salary.
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The relationship between the supervisor and the postdoc is crucial. The supervisor's role is to provide support their postdoc's entrepreneurial ambitions. The supervisor's role is to:
Activate the postdoc's entrepreneurial potential by providing support and resources.
Be available to provide guidance to the postdoc during the startup phase.
Continuously communicate with the postdoc and the university's entrepreneurship team.
Ensure that the postdoc can focus on the startup work (which might mean finding/allocating other people to research project(s)).
Understand that the postdoc's time on the startup is a valuable investment and that the university is committed to supporting the postdoc's entrepreneurial ambitions.
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The program is designed with all outcomes in mind. Even if you don’t launch a startup, the experience gained from the attempt will be valuable for your career. Universities are increasingly valuing commercialisation experience, and attempting to do so is seen as a positive step, regardless of the outcome.
Not applying is considered more of a failure than trying and not succeeding.