#33 What's Up, Adelaide? Monthly Update

Be in-the-know in the South Australian startup scene

Dear WUA Adelaide reader, my sincere apologies for the late submission. March was a big month for our ecosystem and I was involved in a bike crash which slowed me down a bit. The good news is that I’m recovering well and almost back to normal life! Now, let’s jump to the updates. Startup Adelaide relaunched to support SA entrepreneurs with a renewed strategy and a host of service offerings, events, and awards. Under the leadership of Matt Anderson, Startup Adelaide’s newsletter will become the main voice of our ecosystem and this newsletter will gradually wind down (more news to come on this). Have you already signed up for Startup Adelaide’s newsletter? Don’t miss out! If you like my work, you can still connect with me or follow me. In their first event, Adelaide entrepreneur Alisdair Faulkner shared valuable insights and told the story of how he co-founded and built ThreatMetrix into a global fraud-detection unicorn. _SOUTHSTART Emergence* released the program and speaker list. Be prepared to discover a New World. New Rules. New Systems. New Voices. Finally, find more opportunities and news below.

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_SOUTHSTART EMERGENCE*

_SOUTHSTART EMERGENCE* is your chance to learn and grow beyond the existing bounds of your reality - whether that be career or personally focused. At our multi-track, 4-stage conference - we will bring together leading minds from a wide breadth of industries - including, but not limited to: investment, startups, space, technology, defence, creative, impact, agriculture and so much more. Amongst a broad hospitality program designed to foster cross-pollination, you're also invited to participate in more than a dozen masterclasses - from pitching and marketing to leadership and personal mastery. Engage with pioneering minds, adventure to leading locations, and walk away a better you. Find more

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Featured Startup: Agora Gourmet

Last week, the Agora Gourmet community joined forces with local South Australian food and beverage producers and the acclaimed Adelaidian chef Callum Hann for an amusing beverage pairing battle at eleven.

The event marked the launch of Agora Gourmet, a Barossa Valley-based social media and marketplace platform engineered to disintermediate advertising and retailing and to promote and trade world-class produce, at a fair price. Read the full story.

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Bootstrapping A Car Wash Club

How to Validate a Business Idea Without Mortgaging your House

In January, I had a coffee chat with my friend and mentor Luciana Caletti, a co-founder of Love Mondays (now Glassdoor), and Luciana shared with me a business idea she thought was worth exploring: a marketplace for buying and booking car washes.

She said, “everybody needs a car wash and this might be a nice and fragmented niche market for you to explore as you land in Australia.” Australia is a car country, so I thought that was an interesting idea! I then decided to invest a few days, perhaps a couple of weeks, to research and test the idea. Read the full story here.

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SA Startups to Watch

Shedmate

Shedmate allows anyone to design, document and quote shed projects ready for council approval. At the end of the day, Shedmate speeds up the design process by up to 80% and reduces risk.

OminiWell

OminiWell is a new startup and using 3D cell culture platforms that will help to reduce dependency on animal testing, help to translate from the lab to the clinic and help to personalise medicines for patients suffering from cancer and other diseases that rely heavily on new drugs and treatments.

Compostable Alternatives

Compostable Alternatives is a one-stop platform that focuses on strictly home compostable and innovative single-use materials for your cafe and restaurant. Their mission is to support you with truly compostable solutions that are easy to dispose of and break down anywhere!

Ecosystem News

• Lumary raised $17million from OneVentures and Salesforce

• Daitum Analytics raised an undisclosed amount with Artesian

• Ben Colley joined Teamgage as their Chief of Staff

• Makers Empire cashed $300k SA grant to expand 3D printing in schools

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Opportunities

🏥 UNSW: Health 10x National Pre-Accelerator — Due: Apr 12th

UNSW Founders and The George Institute for Global Health have partnered to deliver a unique national program accelerating the business growth of startups developing affordable and scalable solutions for major health challenges, particularly the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and injury in underserved populations. Find more

🌡 EnergyLab: Climate Solutions Accelerator — Due: Apr 15th

The Climate Solutions Accelerator is EnergyLab's flagship program and provides the best cleantech startups with all the support they need to reach their potential. Open to startups at all stages, this program is for entrepreneurs looking to deploy solutions that mitigate climate change at scale. We’ll invest up to $100k and introduce you to Australia's most active cleantech investors. Find more

🌡 Climate Launchpad: Global green business ideas — Due: Apr 22nd

The annual program provides an opportunity for entrepreneurs and start-ups to connect to a global network of investors, accelerators and market opportunities. Structured as a competition, ClimateLaunchpad provides training, mentoring and pitching opportunities to help participants grow their concept into a sustainable business. Supporting early stage start-ups in the clean-tech, circular economy, ag-tech, environmental or climate impact fields. Find more

⚡ Pitch to EnergyLab’s Cleantech Round 10 — Due: Apr 28th

EnergyLab’s angel group is a unique network of investors who believe in the importance and potential of cleantech startups, can make decisions quickly, and will continue to support you well after they’ve invested. Find more

👩 Atto Accelerator — Due: May

Founded in 2019, Atto is an entrepreneurship school of the future for female founders. Our launch program is Atto pre-accelerator program – an online course designed to help female founders create tech companies in an independent, scalable, and sustainable way. Find more

⚖️ Lawtech Hub — Due: May

Technology is driving rapid change throughout the legal profession and you could be at the forefront. Accelerate your success by applying to be a LawTech Hub resident and driving the future of legal sector innovation. Find more

🚀 Antler Acceleration Program — Due: rolling basis until May

Antler is a global early-stage VC helping build the defining companies of tomorrow by investing in the most exceptional people in Australia. Antler identifies and invests in exceptional individuals and early-stage businesses with the potential to build global companies. Find more

🗺 Singularity U Australia: Impact 1 Billion Bootcamp

This 2-day immersion is for founders, innovators inventors and organisations who are ready to increase their vision, their reach and their capacity to impact 1 billion lives. They may have an MVP and wish to finesse  branding, pitch and purpose.  Alternately, they may be in the early stages of  ideation and want to incubate an idea into a project or venture. Find more

🌏 Haymarket HQ: China Canvas Challenge

A 5-week online program for small businesses that want to sell to Chinese consumers. China Canvas Challenge delivers a condensed learning experience using an online video course, support forum with China specialists and personalised feedback to help you formulate your China strategy. Find more

🌠 MAP Accelerator — Due: May 2nd

The MAP Accelerator Program is a home for Australia's most ambitious startups, determined to affect substantial positive impact in the world. Open to both for-profit and impact startups, the MAP Accelerator Program is the flagship entrepreneurial initiative of the University of Melbourne. Find more

🌱 Sprout X Accelerator 2021 — Due: May 7th

SproutX is on the hunt for fast scaling, nationally based AgTech startups with global ambitions. Startups within the area of farmgate-to-plate, which is technology agnostic, and prepared to be an investment- and export-ready with world-class commercialization support of SproutX’s accelerator program. Find more

💰 Amazon Launchpad Innovation Grants — Due: May 10th

The Amazon Launchpad Innovation Grants give Australian businesses the chance to win one of five grants, each worth more than $200,000. Each grant package includes $20,000 in cash, marketing support and advertising packages, mentorship from Amazon experts, and industry networking opportunities. Find more

🐳 Hatch Accelerator — Due: May 11th

HATCH is a 14-week accelerator program designed to help you develop your brilliant idea into a not-for-profit or social enterprise venture that has a positive impact on the environment. The program will involve two immersive events, weekly online workshops and a final pitch event. Find more

👩 Hall & Willcox: Frank Lab — Due: May 15th

Frank Lab is our six-month program that offers legal support and networking opportunities to help selected startups (for profit and for impact) grow their business. Frank Lab 2021 will focus on female-led businesses, as part of our initiative to provide dedicated support and assistance to women working in startups and to reduce barriers to entry for women in growth businesses. Find more

🍲 Rabobank: Foodbytes — Due: May 16th

FoodBytes! Pitch is an annual multi-week program that helps startups validate and grow their businesses – and their impact – through global industry exposure, tailored mentorship sessions, individualized strategic connections with corporates and investors, pitch refinement and media visibility. It is supported by the vast global Rabobank network, and a community of mission-driven alumni entrepreneurs. Find more

💻 Melt Accelerator — Due: Jun 29th

The MELT’s accelerator and incubator programs will revolutionize the way hardware Startups prove, prototype, pilot and produce globally scalable products and companies. Find more

⚕️ Medtech Actuator Accelerator — Due: applications accepted on a rolling basis for July cohort

From seed to series A in 15 months. Through intensive mentorship, industry collaboration, and capital-raising support, you can achieve in 15 months what can typically take 3 years or more. The result is a road-hardened venture primed to compete and built for speed, ready to raise series A funding leading into clinical trials, regulatory approvals, at-scale manufacturing, and market launch. Find more

💡 Smart Regional Incubator — Due: 4th Tue of the month on a rolling basis

The UNE SMART Region Incubator accepts applications from new startups that are scaling up and ready to build the regional economy. Our focus is on startups bringing to market solutions for agriculture, health, environmental services and creative industries. Find more

🔋 Brinc’s Australian Clean Energy Program — Due: open year-round

A three-month Clean Energy Accelerator Program in Sydney, that is uniquely designed to support Australian startups that have fully developed solutions, have established product-market fit, and are ready for commercialization. Find more

👩‍🌾 Spark Lab Cultiv 8 Accelerator — Due: open year-round

SparkLabs Cultiv8 identifies leading startups working on innovative food and agricultural technology. Our mission is to cultivate growth stage Ag and Food Tech companies with researchers, farmers, investors and global corporate partners, to help digitise agriculture and contribute to a more sustainable future. Find more

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Government-backed Programs

👩 Boosting Female Founders Initiative — Due: Apr 22nd

The Boosting Female Founders Initiative - Round 2 helps female entrepreneurs overcome the disadvantages faced in getting access to finance and support to grow their startups. Targeted support will be on a co-contribution basis. Grants between $25,000 and $480,000 for female founded startups to expand into domestic and global markets. Find more

🛰️ SA Space Innovation Fund — Due: multiple programs and dates

The South Australian Space Industry Centre is supporting the state’s emerging space industry by providing funding to grow jobs and build South Australia’s space ecosystem through the Space Innovation Fund. Find more

🗳️ SA Go2Gov — Due: open year-round

The Government of South Australia has established the Go2Gov
pilot program to encourage and support local startups and early-stage scalable businesses to bring innovative solutions to government as the first or reference customer. Find more

💰 SA Venture Capital Fund — Due: open year-round

To help build South Australian companies to a national and global scale, the South Australian Government has established the $50 million SAVCF that will invest in dynamic and innovative early-stage companies to accelerate their growth to a national and global scale. Find more

🔬 CSIRO Kick-Start — Due: open year-round

CSIRO Kick-Start provides matched funding for start-ups and small to medium enterprises to help access CSIRO's research expertise and capabilities to help grow your business. Find more

💰 Accelerating Commercialisation — Due: open year-round

Accelerating Commercialisation provides small and medium businesses, entrepreneurs and researchers with access to expert advice and funding to help get a novel product, process or service to market. Find more

🏭 SMART Projects and Supply Chains — Due: open year-round

The SMART Projects and Supply Chains service provides businesses with access to strategic or high-value projects that increase business capability, meet the specific needs of a market opportunity, or otherwise improve business performance and leadership capacity. Find more

🧾 Research and Development Tax Incentive — Due: open year-round

The Research and Development Tax Incentive helps to offset some of the costs you put into eligible R&D, which benefits the wider Australian economy. Find more

💡 Innovation Connections — Due: open year-round

Innovation Connections assists businesses to understand their research needs, connect with the research sector and fund collaborative research projects. Find more.

🚢 Export Market Development Grants — Due: open year-round

Export Market Development Grants reimburse promotional expenses for exporters aiming to increase their international sales. Find more

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🔥 Ecosystem Resources

Y Combinator Startup Library

Over the past 15 years, we’ve created many videos, podcasts and essays as resources for startup founders. We’ve now consolidated them here in the YC Startup Library. Find more

Antler Launch Academy

Learn from our real startup generation playbook paired with a helpful community; brought to you by the world’s largest early-stage investment platform. Find more

The Guild Library

The Guild of Entrepreneurs created a curated library of resources containing 460 pieces of content to help you make the next step along the entrepreneurship journey. Find more

Flinders Legal Centre

Operated by Flinders University, College of Business, Government and Law, the Flinders Legal Centre operates a free legal advice service to the community. Through online appointments, our experienced supervising solicitors work closely with student interns and recent graduates to provide legal advice and information. Find more

Switch, Start, Scale

Entrepreneurship Facilitators provide practical assistance to support and encourage individuals to start a business as a way to create their own job. Find more

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🦄 Incubators and Accelerators

Female Founders

If you are a female founder or an ally this post has lots of ideas and programs to support you in building your startup or to help bridge the gender gap.The Innovation Factory

Stone and Chalk

Stone & Chalk is an Impact Network catalysing commercial success for Founders in emerging tech sectors. We support startups & scaleups by providing structured programs and facilitating access to Customers, Capital, Talent, Expertise, Community and Insights. Find more

Innovation and Collaboration Center

The Innovation & Collaboration Centre (ICC) is the University of South Australia's startup incubator. The ICC engages with the community through the delivery of community events, workshops and programs which draw on the research and professional expertise of UniSA and our partners, to support the generation of new startups and the growth of existing companies. Find more

The Moonshine Lab

The Moonshine Lab is a tech startup co-founder that can help make your vision a reality. We don’t just give you a desk, or coach you. We climb into the trenches with you, and help plan, design, code, test, launch, and grow your business. Find more

New Venture Institute

Welcome to Flinders New Venture Institute. Operating out of the Tonsley Innovation District, we provide people and businesses with the tools to take innovation beyond the buzzword, locally, nationally and internationally. By connecting a vibrant ecosystem of startups, businesses and the humans behind them to our award-winning programs, events and educational pathways, we invite the next wave of disruptors to make their mark on the global workforce. Find more

Core Innovation Hub

CORE is Australia’s first innovation hub for the resources sector. We have established a national ecosystem for suppliers, researchers, entrepreneurs and industry to connect and collaborate on innovative solutions across mining, resources, energy, defence and space sectors. Find more

ThincLab

ThincLab is the place where unconventional thinkers can give their ideas an unfair advantage. It’s home to the creative thinkers, the rule-breakers, the challengers. The ones who see the world differently, and for whom ideas are everything and the future is unlimited. ThincLab is backed by the University of Adelaide. Find more

The Innovation Factory

The Innovation Factory is a creative and vibrant coworking space located in the beautiful, leafy, and artistic Halifax Street. If you are looking for a new coworking space to work from, and join a real community of hard-working entrepreneurs, get in touch.

Founder Institute

The Founder Institute is the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator, having helped launch over 4,500 companies across 200+ cities and six continents. Find more

Foment: Australia’s Wine and Tourism Tech Revolution

FOMENT offers intensive acceleration to innovative wine and tourism tech companies who are ready to scale up and then connects them with businesses in the industry that are positioned to use their products and services. Find more

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📅 Key Events:

South Start: The Emergence. May 2020

South Start is Australia’s leading curator of immersive and interactive adventures focused on helping humans to accelerate their network and knowledge in ways not traditionally found. We gather the best and brightest minds across Australia, NZ and beyond to connect and share through intelligent conversation, fabulous food and world-class wine. Find more

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👩 Female Founders

Are you a female founder? Great! There are tonnes of programs to support you along your journey from idea to action. Follow the link below to find lots of programs for you.

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💰 Venture Funding

Are you seeking venture funding for your startup? If so, consider reading my previous post #6 and have a look at the following database of venture capital firms and private investment groups.

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👨‍💻 Jobs

If you are searching for your dream job startup job in South Australia, you should have a look at the SA jobs board through the link below:

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Well done if you arrived at this point! Here is a question for you:

What would you like to see more and what is less relevant in the newsletter?

This is all for today! If you like this post, leave a comment or connect with me! To just say hi, publish your story, or event on this newsletter, please drop me a line. Finally, click subscribe below to receive this newsletter every week by email.

Keep building,
Rob Blum