Australian Programs, Resources & Support for Startups

By Cheryl Mack

Disclaimer: Please note this list may not be accurate or complete, some programs may no longer be available or may have changed since this list was updated. This is not meant to be regarded as advice or endorsement of any organisation listed.

Last updated: January 2022

TIP: Use the search function to find specific information (ex. Try searching for terms like: NSW, fintech, agtech, university, investment, corporate, female, etc.)

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Government Programs, Grants & Support

Accelerators, Incubators, Labs & Coworking

Associations & Industry Bodies

Industry Growth Centres

Ecosystem Directories & Reports

Free Resources 

Jobs & Talent

Media & Newsletters

  • Anthill - Online magazine for entrepreneurs, business builders and innovators

  • AusBiz TV - live video of the latest news in Australian business, markets, economy and startups

  • Australian FinTech - News about / for FinTech in Australia

  • Australian Financial Review - Technology Section

  • Cut Through Venture - once a month data-packed startup funding and launch newsletter

  • The Hustle - the best daily business newsletter out there

  • Ideas Hoist - Australians making ideas happen

  • InnovationAus - Public policy and business innovation

  • Inside Look - People, culture and tech inside the most innovative companies in Australia

  • IoT Hub - New and events related to IoT

  • Kochie’s Business Builders -  Small business news, resources, features and inspiration

  • Slattery's Watch - Weekly digest of news from Australian innovation, technology and business

  • Smart Company - StartupSmart's parent but often has great articles for entrepreneurs

  • Sparks - Weekly email update of ecosystem happenings from Spark Festival

  • Startup Daily - News, Insights and Stories from the Australian and New Zealand tech ecosystem

  • Startup Digest - Curated by topic & location, reading lists delivered to your inbox - Global

  • Startup Melbourne - Home of Melbourne Startups, startup resources, and online business ideas

  • Startup Soda - A daily newsletter with news & resources from Australian startups & VCs

  • StartupSmart - Covers news from the startup community in Australia 

  • Startup News - Covers Western Australian startup news

  • StartupVic - A listing of news & events for Victoria-based startups

  • Techboard - News, investments & data for Australia's Startups

  • The Tech Rooport - Daily email with Aussie, New Zealand and Global Startup and Tech news
  • Vest - Showcases Aussie startups that are generating the buzz online
  • What the Health - fortnightly trends & innovation in healthtech
  • Welcome to Day One - A podcast telling the origin stories of Australia's most successful startups

Events & Conferences

Please note many of these events may be canceled, postponed or online. Accent = virtual events.

  • Above All Human - Innovation conference (Melbourne)

  • B2B Rocks - B2B focused conference & expo (Sydney)

  • Be MPowered - Presented by Mums & Co, female founder & business owner conference

  • CeBit - B2B technology exhibition and conference (Sydney)

  • D61+LIVE - Innovation, science and technology event by Data61 & CSIRO (Sydney)

  • Emergence - Investment/capital raising conference by Wholesale Investor (Sydney)

  • Fishburners Friday Night Pitches - open to all every Friday night (Sydney)

  • Innovation Bay - Events & podcasts for tech founder & investors (National)

  • Liminal* - 1-week series of online panels & masterclasses with leading startup operators and coaches

  • Morego - Retreat for high growth businesses (Australia and New Zealand locations)

  • QODE - Conference on growth, technology, innovation, the future (Brisbane)

  • NSIN - North Sydney Innovation Network events (North Sydney)

  • Pause Fest - Creative, tech and business conference (Melbourne)

  • PropTech Summit - Conference for PropTech revolution globally and in Australia

  • SaaStock APAC - SaaS conference

  • Semi Permanent - For designers, artists & creatives (Sydney & Auckland)

  • Silicon Beach - Community and events including pitch nights

  • SouthStart - People, Technology and Ideas (Adelaide)

  • Spark Festival - A two week program of events around startups & innovation (Sydney)

  • Startup&Angels - Networking events and online community platform, gathering startups & Angels

  • Startup Grind - Monthly event series, fireside chats with founders - National

  • Sunrise - Blackbird Ventures annual startup conference (Sydney / Auckland)

  • Sydney Tech Meetup - longest running, and biggest, meetup for tech startups (Sydney)

  • Tech23 - Pitch competition for 23 high-growth, deep tech companies (Sydney)

  • Venture Downunder - invite only retreat for VC's hosted by Innovation Bay

  • Venture Cafe Sydney - Regular events & mentoring at Macquarie Park (NSW)

  • Web Summit - brings together the people and companies redefining the global tech industry (global)

  • West Tech Fest - Entrepreneurs, Tech, Startups, Creativity, Innovation (Perth)

  • Wholesale Investor - Investor & startup pitch conferences & events (national)

  • YOW! Conference - Events for software developers (National locations)

Awards & Competitions

Note from Cheryl

Thanks for reading! This list is built and updated by me (Cheryl Mack) as a place to help startups in Australia find the right resources for them. I’ve been working on it since 2015 and update it as much as I can (in my spare time). If you would like me to add or edit something please email me.

You can also find me on: Twitter  |  LinkedIn  |  Facebook

For those who are interested in having your organisation added to the list, my core criteria for something to be included is:

  • It's primary purpose needs to be to help founders or startups

  • If it's not free, then it needs to be very very reasonably priced

  • It has a strong focus on technology companies, although I'll sometimes make exceptions


Mack's Resources

Mack the Moose is a character I made up. He is here to help startup founders with great (and mostly free) resources & tools. I haven't trademarked it. The logo was downloaded from a free site (see design resources). I do this in my spare time, so feedback is greatly appreciated, but any complaints may be sent to Scott Morrison @ Parliament Dr, Canberra ACT 2600.

Copyright © 2021 All rights reserved.

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