UNSW Founders

UNSW Founders is the comprehensive entrepreneurial program of the University of New South Wales, based in Sydney, Australia. Its core mission is to embed entrepreneurship across the university campus, supporting students, staff, and alumni in developing entrepreneurial skills, launching, and scaling their own ventures. The program offers a diverse range of services, guiding individuals from the initial spark of an idea through to achieving global impact. This includes skill development workshops, assistance in finding co-founders, prototyping support, pitching opportunities, expert coaching, capital raising guidance, and strategies for business growth and internationalisation.

The initiative officially launched in 2017, with its foundations laid by the opening of the Michael Crouch Innovation Centre (MCIC) in 2015, which serves as its central hub and the launching pad for its flagship accelerator programs. What sets UNSW Founders apart is its commitment to being free and entirely funded through philanthropy, ensuring accessibility for anyone with a promising idea, regardless of their background. It fosters a supportive community where entrepreneurs can experiment, learn from setbacks, and receive guidance from a strong network of mentors and peers, all while focusing on generating both private wealth and public good.

UNSW Founders has achieved significant recognition, including being named the most entrepreneurial university in the Asia-Pacific region at the Triple E Awards in 2024. The program was also recognised as Australia's best incubator/accelerator by the 2024 Startup Muster report. Since 2017, it has trained over 50,000 individuals in entrepreneurship, leading to the creation of more than 1,000 new startups. Its 10x Accelerator program, which invested over $3.5 million into 24 startups in 2024, has built an equity portfolio of over 130 companies. These alumni companies have collectively raised more than $170 million in capital and generated hundreds of new jobs.

Under the leadership of David Burt, the Director of Entrepreneurship, UNSW Founders continually expands its offerings. Notable programs include New Wave, specifically designed to empower women founders, which has contributed to 48% of new companies having at least one female co-founder, significantly exceeding the national average. The program also features industry-specific accelerators like Health 10x and Climate 10x, addressing critical global challenges. The success of ventures like Foresight, acquired by GoPro, and AssuranceLab, acquired by Sensiba, highlights the program's effectiveness in nurturing startups from early concepts to global impact. Supported by generous philanthropic donors such as Peter Farrell and Michael Crouch, UNSW Founders remains a driving force in Australia's innovation ecosystem.