Stone & Chalk - Sydney Startups

Stone & Chalk is Australia's largest independent innovation community, established with a fundamental mission to foster a more sustainable, technology-driven economy. Founded in Sydney in August 2015, the organisation initially focused on incubating financial technology (fintech) startups before broadening its scope to encompass a diverse range of emerging technology sectors across Australia. As a not-for-profit, purpose-driven entity, Stone & Chalk supports a comprehensive ecosystem that includes startups, scale-ups, corporates, and government entities at every stage of their innovation journey. [3, 4, 9, 13, 18, 25, 32, 34]

At its core, Stone & Chalk provides more than just physical coworking spaces in key innovation hubs across Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide; it offers a vibrant, curated community designed to accelerate growth and commercialisation for its residents. These hubs deliver modern offices, state-of-the-art facilities, and essential services such as high-speed internet, meeting rooms, and administrative support, allowing founders to concentrate on building their businesses. Beyond infrastructure, residents gain access to an extensive network of investors, mentors, and corporate partners, fostering collaboration and opening pathways to funding and commercial opportunities. [3, 4, 9, 14, 15, 19, 24, 36]

Stone & Chalk differentiates itself through a 'founder-first' approach, implementing a variety of growth programs, advisory services, and community rituals tailored to meet the evolving needs of emerging tech companies. Key initiatives include venture connect programs for corporate partnerships, specialised guidance for government innovation, and a strong emphasis on cybersecurity development through its integration with AustCyber. This commitment extends to promoting diversity and inclusivity within the tech landscape, supporting a wide array of tech industries from Artificial Intelligence and Climate Tech to Defence Tech and Web3. [3, 4, 5, 15, 18, 32, 34]

Over its history, Stone & Chalk has achieved significant milestones, including housing over 6,000 residents across more than 515 startups and scale-ups, with its community and alumni collectively raising over $4.4 billion in capital. These ventures have been instrumental in creating more than 100,000 direct and indirect jobs within the Australian economy. [14, 22, 33] The organisation has been consistently recognised for its impact, notably being named Australia's most recommended startup support organisation for two consecutive years, underscoring its pivotal role in the national innovation ecosystem. [22]

Leadership at Stone & Chalk has seen a planned transition, with Chris Kirk stepping down as CEO in April 2026 after over a decade with the organisation, including a tenure as CEO since 2023. Kirk was part of the founding team in 2015 and oversaw the expansion from a single Sydney hub to a national network. A search for a successor is currently underway, aiming to continue driving the mission to support 10,000 Australian startup success stories by 2035. [29, 22]