The Future of Work Is Being Built in Startups
6, July 2026
For many computer science students, the path from university to work has traditionally looked fairly straightforward: finish your degree, apply for graduate roles, land in a large company, and build experience from there.
But that path is changing.
Graduate opportunities are becoming more competitive, AI is reshaping what early-career talent can do, and students are increasingly looking for ways to stand out before they graduate. In that context, startups are becoming more than an alternative career path. They are becoming one of the best places for students to build real skills, solve real problems and see how technology companies are built from the inside.
That was the idea behind UNSW Founders’ Computer Science Reverse Pitch Night, an evening designed to flip the usual recruitment model.
Instead of students pitching themselves to employers, startups pitched their internship opportunities to students.
And the room showed up.
Held at the Michael Crouch Innovation Centre, the event brought together a packed audience of computer science students eager to connect with startups, explore internship opportunities and understand what it actually looks like to work inside an early-stage company.
Why Startups Matter for Students
At the start of the night, Hayden Smith [insert his reflection and maybe a quote] one of the speakers reflected on a conversation with a student who was feeling nervous about studying computer science in a world changing quickly because of AI.
It was a feeling many students could probably relate to.
The response was simple: AI is not just a threat to early-career roles. It is also a capability multiplier. Students today have access to tools that make them more powerful builders than ever before.
But not every workplace can absorb that capability in the same way.
Large companies do not grow overnight. They have established structures, defined roles and slower-moving systems. Startups, on the other hand, can grow quickly. They need people who can build, test, learn and adapt. For students who want hands-on experience, that can make startup internships incredibly valuable.
In a startup, you are less likely to spend months observing from the sidelines. You are more likely to work directly with founders, ship real features, speak to customers, solve messy problems and see how decisions are made when resources are limited and speed matters.
That kind of experience can help students stand out — whether they want to work in a startup, join an SME, land a competitive graduate role, or eventually build their own company.
A Different Kind of Internship Night
The format was simple.
Each startup had two minutes to pitch what they were building, what kind of talent they were looking for, and why students should come and speak with them after the presentations.
The result was fast, practical and refreshingly direct.
Students heard from startups working across AI, cyber security, health, manufacturing, education, vision care, regulatory technology and advanced manufacturing. Each company brought a different kind of opportunity, but the common thread was clear: these were roles where students could contribute to real products, not hypothetical projects.
After the pitches, students were encouraged to choose their top three startups, speak to founders at their booths, and submit their interest. The demand was obvious. The room was full, the booths were busy, and students were lining up to have conversations.
The Startups That Took the Stage
The night featured a strong mix of UNSW Founders portfolio companies, alumni-led ventures and early-stage startups looking for ambitious student talent.
Edify
A student learning platform designed to make daily study and lecture revision easier, with opportunities across full-stack development, marketing and community management.
Automi
A regulatory and compliance automation startup working across sectors including pharmaceuticals, FMCG and medical devices, helping companies bring products to market safely and efficiently.
Composite Sydney
A large-format robotic 3D printing company using recycled plastics to create sustainable components for the built environment, with opportunities in automation, computational design, thermal imaging and AI-based rendering.
Holodata
An AI company helping businesses adopt practical AI tools across legal, finance, compliance and health, with opportunities for students interested in applied AI, research and document intelligence.
Rhombus AI
An agentic data platform helping organisations extract intelligence from data, with opportunities across frontend, backend, large language model integration, cloud deployment and full-stack ownership.
Clave Systems
A deep-tech cryptography startup building policy-based encryption and zero-trust infrastructure for enterprise, with opportunities across cybersecurity, protocol design, DevOps, browser extensions and frontend tools.
Tendor
A startup helping businesses turn tendering into a forecastable revenue pipeline, using automation, AI agents and scalable infrastructure to improve complex proposal workflows.
Vixia
A manufacturing quality-control startup building plug-and-play AI cameras for production lines, with opportunities in hardware, edge computing, computer vision, anomaly detection and AI agents.
OOxii
A vision health startup working to make eye testing and glasses more accessible, particularly for people who cannot easily access traditional optometry services. The team is seeking support to improve its app experience, reporting tools and usability.
Together, the startups showed students how broad the startup career path can be. This was not just “come code for a startup.” It was an invitation to work on real problems across industries that need technical talent now.
Building Experience Before Graduation
The most powerful part of the night was not just the number of startups in the room. It was the kind of work they were offering.
Students heard about opportunities to build production systems, improve AI workflows, work on cybersecurity infrastructure, create tools for healthcare delivery, support advanced manufacturing, automate complex compliance processes and help companies scale.
That matters because students do not only need credentials. They need evidence.
Evidence that they can build.
Evidence that they can work in teams.
Evidence that they can solve ambiguous problems.
Evidence that they can contribute in real-world environments.
Startup internships can provide that evidence quickly, because early-stage companies need people who are willing to take ownership and learn by doing.
For UNSW Founders, that is the bigger point.
Supporting students does not only mean helping them find jobs. It also means helping them understand how jobs are changing, how startups work, and how they can create their own opportunities when traditional pathways become more competitive.
From Working in a Startup to Building One
The night also carried another message: if students are inspired by what they see in startups, they do not have to stop at working in one.
UNSW Founders exists to help students, researchers, staff and alumni explore entrepreneurship, build their own startups and take ideas seriously. Events like this sit at the intersection of employment, education and entrepreneurship. They give students the chance to meet founders, understand what early-stage companies need, and imagine themselves as part of that ecosystem.
For some students, the next step might be an internship.
For others, it might be joining a startup after graduation.
And for some, it might be building their own company.
More Bridges Between Students and Startups
The energy in the room made one thing clear: students want more direct access to startups, and startups want access to ambitious student talent.
UNSW Founders will continue creating opportunities that bring these groups together — not just through pitch nights, but through programs, internships, founder events and startup pathways that help students build the skills, confidence and networks they need for the future of work.
Because the future of work will not only be shaped by the biggest employers.
It will be shaped by the startups, SMEs and student founders building what comes next.