Accelerator Membership
Helping Entrepreneurs Achieve Success
Grow your business sustainably as part of a thriving ecosystem
Innovation Centre memberships provide a range of benefits to accelerate business development and growth in a sustainable way.
Membership Benefits
Our affordable monthly membership fees are flexible and tailored to suit your business, taking into account the amount of office space, mentoring and support your start up or existing business needs. Apply Now and we'll be in touch!
Membership
Our affordable monthly membership fees are tailored to suit your business, taking into account the amount of office space, mentoring and support your startup or company needs. If you’re interested in membership, apply now – once we’ve determined that your business meets our criteria, we’ll chat one-on-one about the investment required.
Get your entrepreneurial journey with us started!
We understand that every new venture starts with different mix of staffing, financial and other demands and priorities. We’re interested in hearing your pain points and your plans for growth and how we can best support you in achieving them.
At the Innovation Centre we are flexible about meeting our guidelines for membership and will work closely with you to ensure there is a mutually beneficial fit. Part of the approval process can involve pitching to our selection panel so we have provided some information to support this process. It's fun, easy and educational! Think Shark Tank or Dragon’s Den (but friendlier).
Viable business concepts involving technology-based products or services
We LOVE new tech ideas. Let’s explore whether yours can be translated into a viable commercial business, and if it will have a distinct competitive advantage and solve a problem in the market.
Here are some considerations the Innovation Centre team will ask about during the application process.
- What is your value proposition?
- What market problem does your business solve?
- Have you established the technical feasibility of your product/platform – will it work?
- Have you used a business model generation tool (e.g. Business Model Canvas) to determine where your business is headed?
- What is your minimum viable product?
- Who are your customers? How many of them have you met with/surveyed?
- Do you have the ability to compete in a clearly identified market?
Motivation and skill levels
- Do you have the basic skills needed to make your business a success?
- Are you familiar with the lean startup principles and methodology?
- Are there any gaps in your skill set? How will you fill them?
- Are you open to being mentored and taking advice?
Product readiness
- Is your product or service likely to reach market with in the next year or two?
- What evidence do you have that there is a significant market opportunity?
- Have you done any market research?
- How will you compete? Where is your startup’s advantage
Monthly membership fees and operating costs
- Are you able to afford your monthly membership fee?
- Can you cover your business operating costs until your startup is generating sufficient sales revenue?
- Do you have a strategy in place for securing additional capital?
- Can you demonstrate how your business will make a profit?
The Sunshine Coast fit
- How well does your business suit to the Sunshine Coast region?
- How do you see your business developing in terms of employment, exports, innovation and revenue growth?
- Could there be any potential collaborations with the University of the Sunshine Coast community?
Food Accelerator Program
The Innovation Centre and the Food and Agribusiness Network have partnered to provide 12 of the best food and beverage businesses in the region with the opportunity to take part in Grow Coastal, Sunshine Coast’s first food accelerator.
Our food and beverage entrepreneurs participate in business workshops and receive mentoring, one-to-one support and industry insights from our community of industry leaders, including our extensive mentor network from both the Innovation Centre and Food Agribusiness Network.
2019 Applications are now open.
Please apply via the link below. Applications close 28 November 2018.
Health Accelerator Program
The Australian Health Accelerator (AHx) program is a catalyst for validating and commercialising new, innovative health related products and services with access to state-of-the-art facilities, simulation suites and laboratories.
Whether you have a great idea that needs to get off the ground or you’re already trading and looking to scale up, this program steers your venture in the right direction with tried and tested industry specific tools, resources and international connections. The AHx program is the region’s first health and wellbeing accelerator.
2018 applications are now open.
Please apply via the link below. Applications close 28 July 2018.
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