Australia's Startup Events Calendar

Candid conversation with Tim Draper on his journey as an investor, his early bet on SpaceX, and advice for emerging managers building enduring venture firms.

Free 8-week program for first-time founders building AI startups — workshops, mentorship and investor-readiness, ending with a live Demo Day pitch. Victorian founders only.

2-day compressed accelerator: teams form, test ideas, work with mentors, and pitch. Up to 12 teams are selected to enter the 9-week Enterprise Challenge accelerator with workshops, mentors, and a $50K+ cash and in-kind prize pool.

Third Australian regional competition — 10 pitch spots. Winners advance to the San Francisco Grand Finale in November 2026.

An LP, a GP, and a founder walk through how capital is moving between them in the new agentic VC era.

Launch of ASTN's 2026 Sports Innovation Report with networking across the sports-tech startup ecosystem.

AFC session on going from idea to shipped, validated product fast — practical playbooks from founders who have done it.

Founders share the hard-won lessons they wish they knew before starting — part of the Aussie Founders Club ecosystem calendar.

Monthly community gathering for South Australia's space sector. Hear from international delegates attending the Andy Thomas Space Forum, share wins, and give direct feedback on the state's space strategy.

A walkthrough of the AI tools making it easier than ever to run a VC firm.

What Y Combinator looks for and how Australian founders can apply its playbook — morning session for the AU startup community.

Two-day intensive bootcamp for teams applying to the I2N Cleantech Accelerator. Covers clean energy, water, recycling, and built environment sectors. Teams that pass advance to the 13-week accelerator phase from 11 August.

Hear directly from LPs on what they actually look for in emerging managers right now.

Two-day private markets conference connecting 50+ vetted capital-seeking companies (Life Sciences, Deep Tech, Renewables, Defence Tech) with 750+ VCs, family offices, and institutional investors.

2-day curated deal-making conference. Day 1: Life Sciences and MedTech Investor Day. Day 2: Deep Tech, Renewables, and Emerging Sectors. 50+ vetted companies, 750+ investors and family offices. Early Bird tickets available.

How to position your fund and your pipeline for the strongest fundraising market in years.

Annual flagship pitch event showcasing emerging founders from South West Sydney. Live pitching, coaching, and community celebration. Open to investors and ecosystem attendees.

Showcase of startup solutions from the CivVic Labs Circular Agriculture Challenge, plus the launch of a new Victorian tourism and hospitality technology challenge.

8-week stepping-stone program into Startmate Accelerator. Applications close Aug 1, runs Sep–Oct 2026. Ideal for early-stage founders.

Virtual cohort of Blackbird's free mentoring program for early-stage startups across Australia and New Zealand. Aug–Sep 2026. No equity taken.

10-day program + 3 months mentoring to build frameworks, judgement, and networks for investing with measurable social and environmental impact alongside financial return. $10,072 early bird.

Start of the Founder Institute ANZ Spring 2026 semester in Sydney, running Tuesday evenings. Pre-seed company-building accelerator for early-stage founders. Early application deadline: 21 June 2026.

Info session on the Experience Victoria Challenge — learn about the opportunity for startups from LaunchVic and DJSIR. 11am-12pm AEST.

Antler's Australian residency across Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane. Full-time, in-person. Rolling applications at antler.co/apply. ~2,000 applicants per cohort.

Info session for NOVA — LaunchVic's professional development program for those managing innovation programs across Victoria. 11am-12pm AEST.

The Startup Network pitch night for fintech founders. Present to fintech investors and the Melbourne startup ecosystem. Applications open via Eventbrite.

3-day program helping leaders move beyond AI hype and build a clearer understanding of where AI can create real value inside their organisation. $3,600 early bird.

Flagship startup board governance conference at the Sydney Opera House — curated speakers on world-class governance for Australia's high-growth companies.

Australia's annual deep tech flagship. 23 exceptional deep tech startups across AI, quantum, biotech, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing pitch to investors, industry leaders, and policymakers. Cicada's twenty-year track record, alumni raised $280M+.

Virtual conf matching founders, VCs, LPs, GPs and family offices: 7-min 1:1 founder pitches matched to thesis, then investor-only 1:1 networking. Free for qualifying active investors.

National conference series for women founders and business owners travelling across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Adelaide. Fireside chats, roundtable breakouts, and optional VIP dinner. 2026 dates TBC — 2025 ran Sep–Oct.

Five days of workshops, panels, networking, and pitch sessions. Four tracks: Starting Out, Scaling Up, Adopt (for corporates), and Ignite (innovation + investment). Homebase at Pipiri Lane, Wynyard Quarter.

Startmate's flagship Demo Day — accelerator cohort pitches to 1,000+ investors, operators, and founders. Program runs Jul 27 – Oct 16. Date TBC (final week of program).

Asia's most influential tech startup event. 25,000+ attendees, 400+ startups and exhibitors, 30+ global pavilions. Includes SLINGSHOT deep tech startup competition (applications by 30 June 2026) with S$2M+ in grant prizes. Attendee passes are free.

Demo Day for the UNSW Founders 10x Accelerator cohort. Startups pitch to investors after a 10-week intensive program. Multiple streams: All Industries, Health, Climate.

Asia's premier fintech and innovation gathering. 45,000+ attendees, 1,000+ speakers, 120+ economies. Theme: Fintech Nexus: Bridging the World, Building the Future. Includes the Global Fast Track pitching competition (applications by 25 September 2026). Covers AI, Web3, insurtech, greentech, healthtech, and more.

Japan's largest conference for growth industries. 12,000+ registrations. Online sessions 4–5 Nov; in-person + online at Shibuya Hikarie Hall on 6 Nov. Connects startups, corporations, and investors with the theme 'Taking Japan's Startup Ecosystem Global'. Free tickets available.

Australia's longest-running tech and innovation festival. 5 days across Perth. West Tech Women, West Tech Main, West Tech Wadjemup. Pitch competition, satellite events. 2025 sold out. Partners: Curtin University, Government of WA, City of Perth. 2026 tickets on sale soon.

Clear, practical introduction to early-stage venture capital. Self-paced online modules covering how VC works, deal evaluation, and portfolio construction. $749.