Accelerator
Startmate
entrepreneurship, mergers & acquisitions, venture capital, mobile advertising, mobile
What Founders Think of Startmate (21)
Best 3+ years of this decade so far! Incredible team and culture that made it never feel like work. Life-long friends and truly always tried to be founder-first in all aspects of the company.
Wish I had more representation in NZ, but I was a bit naive about how difficult this would be with 1 person on the ground and a country that is the size of Melbourne but spread more widely
Startmate's Launch Club is the place to be if you're a founder wanting the best foundation for your startup and Louisa and the team are the ones making everything happen. Great to be a part of it!
Angelo is smart, patient and clearly knows his $hit. I'd recommend him / use his services in a heartbeat.
Well designed programs made going through the accelerator’s process like playing a video games.
Great. We've worked with Startmate and they've been excellent.
Startmate is fantastic. It puts you in the spotlight of Australian startups for the period of the accelerator, and helps build confidence - where other accelerators pretend there is a rulebook for building a company and chastise you for not having done it their way, Startmate believes in you and the fact that you will know best what is right for your business. Then they connect you to the people who can make it happen. Post accelerator there is a highly active ongoing community - I believe this can be very useful, I personally haven't accessed it much though
Good program. Good network. Mentors invested in our pre-seed as well as Startmate. Startmate followed on in subsequent rounds.
Such an unfair advantage. Incredible resources + networks
Startmate was an invaluable stepping stone for us. Being able to have all those resources available to us, as well as the introductions to VC firms and the support along the way really helped up grow as a business.
Best investors in Australia (biased as I mentor there now, but have raised multiple rounds across multiple businesses, and genuinely owe so much to Startmate).
The founder states they 'genuinely owe so much' to Startmate across multiple businesses and rounds, indicating a profound and career-defining impact beyond a typical positive experience.
I took part in Launch Club with Startmate and found the content to be genuinely strong. The cohort was also a standout a really high-calibre group of people, which made the experience even more valuable. If I had one piece of feedback, it’s that the team tends to assess startups through quite structured criteria. While this brings consistency, it can feel rigid at times, and there isn’t always much room to look beyond that framework—particularly for more unconventional or creative ideas. Which is a shame, because pushing boundaries and thinking outside the box is exactly what accelerator programs are meant to foster. Overall though, it was a worthwhile experience and I’d still recommend it especially for the quality of the content and the people you’ll meet.
I recently applied to Startmate and found the process inspiring and valuable. It encouraged me to think more deeply about my startup, vision, and goals. Startmate has a strong reputation for supporting ambitious founders, and I would be excited to be part of the program in the future.
Ok was fun
The best accelerator in Australia!
Smooth process, helpful and easy to work with.
Top pick as a founder - would recommend.
The best of the best.
The best in aus.
A pleasure to work with. Truly founder first!
Connections, advice, and consistent support.
Always innovative!
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About Startmate
Startmate is a leading startup accelerator based in Melbourne, Australia, dedicated to empowering ambitious founders across Australia and New Zealand to build world-class companies. Established in 2011 by Niki Scevak of Blackbird Ventures, alongside Atlassian co-founders Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar, it holds the distinction of being Australia's oldest and most renowned early-stage accelerator. Startmate’s core offering is a rigorous 12 to 14-week program that provides early-stage startups with crucial investment, a mentor-led model, and access to a powerful, supportive community.
Serving founders from the initial idea stage through to early revenue and scaling, Startmate is sector-agnostic, supporting a diverse range of industries from deep tech and AI to consumer goods and hardware. A key differentiator is its remote-first program, allowing founders to participate from anywhere in Australia or New Zealand, complemented by essential in-person gatherings such as Week Zero in Melbourne and Demo Day in Sydney. This hybrid approach, combined with a focus on identifying unique founder 'spikes'—standout strengths like ambition, determination, and a deep connection to the problem—helps them select and cultivate exceptional talent.
What truly sets Startmate apart is its deeply embedded community-driven and 'pay-it-forward' culture. This ethos encourages experienced alumni, mentors, and investors to actively contribute their time, expertise, and capital to new cohorts, ensuring founders receive committed, practical advice rather than fleeting guidance. The accelerator culminates in a high-profile Demo Day, where startups present their progress to an audience of over 1000 investors, operators, and media, providing a platform to secure further funding and partnerships. Occasionally, Startmate also organises international Demo Days, such as the recent return to San Francisco, to connect founders with global investors and expand their ambition.
Under the leadership of CEO Michael Batko, Startmate has achieved significant milestones, having invested in over 350 companies that are collectively valued at more than $4.5 billion. A remarkable 50% of its companies successfully raise follow-on capital post-Accelerator, with a median round size of $1.8 million in recent years. Startmate's enduring impact stems from fostering lifelong relationships and a culture where ambition is not just shared, but vigorously supported and celebrated, making it a pivotal launchpad for world-class startups across the ANZ region.
Startmate at a glance
What founders think of Startmate
💬 Overall sentiment
The collective sentiment from founders regarding Startmate is overwhelmingly positive, positioning it as a leading accelerator in the Australian ecosystem. Many founders describe their experience as an "invaluable stepping stone," highlighting the robust network and strong connections offered. Verified reviewers consistently praise the "incredible resources + networks" and crucial "introductions to VC firms" that have significantly aided their growth.
⭐ What stands out
The team's "founder-first" approach and genuine belief in their ventures are frequently commended, with one founder noting how Startmate "believes in you and the fact that you will know best what is right for your business," a stark contrast to programs that might impose a rigid rulebook. Program quality, including initiatives like Launch Club, is considered "genuinely strong" and inspires deeper thinking about startup vision. While the feedback is largely laudatory, a few points of constructive criticism emerged.
🔍 Room to grow
One reviewer expressed a desire for greater representation in New Zealand. Another observed that the assessment process can sometimes employ "structured criteria," which might feel rigid for more unconventional or creative ideas, potentially limiting exploration beyond established frameworks. Despite these minor observations, the overall consensus remains exceptionally strong, with one anonymous founder unequivocally declaring it "the best accelerator in Australia.
" Founders consistently recommend Startmate for its comprehensive support, invaluable connections, and the active, high-calibre community it fosters.
AI-generated summary based on verified founder reviews
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