At the core of our festival is a commitment to connection, innovation, and impact—and our sponsors are key players in bringing that vision to life. They're our co-creators, driving change alongside founders, investors, creators, and leaders ready to shape what’s next. If you're interested in joining forces, let's chat.
We are a global community of community builders that started in Australia. Our mission is to transform businesses through our gold standard community management training. We started as a meetup group for 17 community builders in Melbourne, Australia during the pandemic in 2021. Afterwards we went viral. Hundreds of community builders joined us through word of mouth referrals. Today we have 12.8k+ in our audience, with 700+ members across 18 countries, which continues to grow consistently.
On 7-hectares in the heart of Adelaide, Lot Fourteen is a growing innovation district shooting for the stars. Here is a carefully curated and dynamic community working across space, defence, critical technologies and creative industries.
"Innovation Bay is a thriving community accelerating the success of visionary founders and investors in Australia and New Zealand through community, connection and education. Since 2003, Innovation Bay has been igniting the tech landscape, forging valuable connections and creating a dynamic ecosystem where founders, investors, and leaders come together to exchange experiences, knowledge, and inspiration. At Innovation Bay, we believe in the power of community, connection, and education to drive disruptive change. Our mission is to empower the disruptors of today and tomorrow, fueling their growth and success through the power of meaningful connections, collaborative learning, and unrivaled access to investment and deal flow. We understand that the journey of building a successful startup or making smart investment decisions can be challenging. This community offers the opportunity to never walk that path alone."
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Airwallex is the leading financial technology platform for modern businesses growing beyond borders. With one of the world’s most powerful payments and banking infrastructure, our technology empowers businesses of all sizes to accept payments, move money globally, and streamline their financial operations, all in one single platform. Established in 2015 in Melbourne, our purpose is to connect entrepreneurs, business builders, makers and creators with opportunities in every corner of the world. Today, Airwallex has a global footprint across Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America.
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“The name Harrison is derived from a revered figure in the world of medicine who represented the desire to share and transfer medical knowledge for society’s benefit. And that’s exactly what we stand for - faster, better, cheaper, more accessible healthcare - and we need technology and expert partners, like XENON who can help us achieve that, at scale,” Aengus Tran, Harrison AI Co-Founder.
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The $50 million South Australian Venture Capital Fund exists to help build dynamic and innovative early-stage South Australian companies to accelerate their growth to a national and global scale, strengthen the competitiveness of the local innovation ecosystem, and attract private sources of co-investment from national and international investors.
ThincLab is The University of Adelaide's business incubator supporting students, alumni, staff and startups. At ThincLab, we support founders and their innovative venture through tailored coaching and programs from a variety of industry experts to take your idea to the market. Being a part of ThincLab means you will be involved in a knowledge-rich and encouraging community where we embrace the entrepreneurial journey. ThincLab is powered by the Adelaide Business School.
Future Anything transforms young people’s passion and curiosity into innovative ideas that make their world a better place. We support educators to lead authentic learning experiences that are not only Australian Curriculum aligned, but also connect students to the real world. Our team provides unlimited coaching and support to our schools in the lead up to, and the delivery of, our programs. All participating students have the opportunity to apply for YouthX; our purpose-built youth accelerator that matches students with the funding and support to launch their idea out of the classroom and into reality. With supported educators, leading authentic ‘future ready’ curriculum that embeds entrepreneurship in schools, we really can bend the future; one youth-led idea at a time.
Mighty Partners was founded in Sydney, Australia in 2021 by a passionate team on a mission to support the Australian startup ecosystem to thrive and scale. We do this by providing tailored debt funding solutions, to meet the unique needs of every business and to help foster a more diverse funding environment. We’re proud to support companies on their growth journeys and passionate about helping founders and investors to realise their full potential, with greater equity upside. We get it. We’re founders ourselves, we understand the growth process, and that every business’ story is different. We're committed to building long-term relationships and being by our partners side for the full growth journey.
Unleashing creativity with a touch of tech magic at Avonet! We're not just your average tech solutions company – we're the squad that turns your wildest creative dreams into digital reality. We're not just in the business of software, apps, and websites; we're in the business of making your jaw drop with our tech wizardry.
Working closely with businesses, industry groups, state government agencies and other relevant organisations, AEDA delivers programs designed to stimulate the city's economic growth with a focus on investment attraction, growing the visitor economy, residential growth, marketing the city and promoting Rundle Mall as Adelaide's premier shopping destination. AEDA is a subsidiary of the City of Adelaide.
Ambitious startups have grown into multibillion-dollar businesses on Stripe – scaling from pre-seed to post-IPO. Incorporate your company, test and accept payments with no-code tools, and automate financial operations to move faster.
Tractor Ventures provides a flexible, revenue based financing alternative for founders who want to lead profitable technology companies. Our experienced team provide strong support to the founding teams in our portfolio. We give each business we invest in, the optionality to run profitably, to raise a VC round (on their terms), or to exit early and cement their personal wealth.
Talent is everywhere — opportunity is not. Remote’s mission is to create opportunity everywhere, empowering employers to find and hire the best talent, and enabling individuals to build financial and personal freedom. Businesses around the world use Remote to hire, manage, and pay their globally distributed workforces, simply and compliantly. Remote was founded in 2019 by Job van der Voort and Marcelo Lebre, and is backed by leading investors including SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Accel, Sequoia, Index Ventures, Two Sigma Ventures, General Catalyst, and B Capital.
RAA's been around for 120 years, and we take pride in providing quality motor, home and travel services to our members in South Australia and Broken Hill. We’re also committed to delivering educational services for the next generation of drivers, as well as advocating on behalf of our members on matters of road safety, mobility, and fuel pricing.
ACS Labs is the ecosystem for Entrepreneurs and their Communities, solving global problems with technology 🚀 The Labs provides a virtual platform to connect our community of Entrepreneurs, Mentors, Talent, Partners and Industry. We provide networks and access to knowledge, news and talent to support growth for innovation in Australia. The Labs makes it more accessible for Australia's Emerging Tech companies and communities to find connection, empowerment and support. Starting its journey with River City Labs, the Labs continues to be a leading tech innovation enabler for Tech Startups & Scaleups since it was founded in 2012 by one of Australia's most successful tech entrepreneurs and Australian TV Series, Shark Tank investor, Steve Baxter.
Eastend Ventures sets itself apart by embracing a model that is centered on value creation which nurtures early- and growth-stage companies to realise their potential. Our role is multifaceted. We are not only fund managers and investors but also mentors and connectors. This comprehensive involvement aims to foster success and generate value for our investors, portfolio companies and the markets where we have a presence. Like the companies we select for investment, success lies in the quality of our team, each member a fusion of expertise, experience and dedication. The team’s collective acumen is both broad and deep, ranging from early-stage tech investing to operational management, commercialisation strategies and rigorous due diligence.
Square Holes is a human-centered research agency working to optimise growth and innovation, through tailored market research and cultural insight. We are here to transform your strategic vision with human-led insights, creative out-of-the-box thinking and decades of experience. Make ‘research’ Step 1 of your strategic planning.
The City of Onkaparinga is South Australia’s largest metropolitan council. The region is a vibrant place with over 170,000 residents across 518 square kilometres. It has some of the best beaches in South Australia, a rich cultural landscape, world-renowned wineries and an abundance of places to explore and things to do. Onkaparinga’s economic strengths include agribusiness and food, health and medical devices, hospitality, manufacturing, tourism, wine and beverages. Home to a multiskilled workforce, property prices and leases are among the most affordable in Adelaide and continuing strong demand for industrial and commercial sites support this wonderful lifestyle location; the gateway between Adelaide and Fleurieu Peninsula. McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Coast is where you'll find the good life! Only a short drive south of Adelaide, McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Coast boasts 31 kilometres of pristine coastline nestled alongside the internationally recognised wine region, McLaren Vale. The region is home to some of South Australia’s most inspirational and recognisable tourism experiences including the famous d’Arenberg Cube. A must visit destination offering world-class food & drink, beaches & villages, nature & adventure, arts & heritage. This spectacular region is the gateway to Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. It’s where the locals never leave and visitors always come back!
Radium Capital is Australia’s market leader in R&D financing. We were formed by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs. That’s why we don’t think like a bank! We believe businesses with R&D should have access to capital when they need it. So, we created Radium Advances to provide quick, easy and early access to up to 80% of your expected R&D tax incentive refund - in just a few business days. Radium Advances are available as a one-off cash injection, or can be used strategically multiple times throughout the year to smooth cash flow. The more you use Radium Advances the more your R&D benefits. Under a quarterly model, for the same expenditure, you can; • boost your R&D spend by 50% or reduce your outlay by 33%. • reinvest up to 150% of R&D expenditure back into R&D. Since launching in 2017, Radium Capital has provided over $650m of funding to Australian innovation businesses. Find out how innovators across Australia are using non-dilutive R&D financing to accelerate growth, attract other sources of funding and smooth cash flow at radiumcapital.com.au
Flinders New Venture Institute is Flinders University’s centre for innovation and entrepreneurship. Reflecting Flinders University’s vision, we strive to connect communities to create value and make a lasting positive impact on the world.
_SOUTHSTART_ are accompanied by our very own Government of South Australia. They are the heart of what happens here in SA in the innovation and skills department. Come catch the excitement of what we have to offer during 2022.
_SOUTHSTART_ are accompanied by our very own Government of South Australia. They are the heart of what happens here in SA in the innovation and skills department. Come catch the excitement of what we have to offer during 2022.
ACS Labs is the ecosystem for Entrepreneurs and their Communities, solving global problems with technology 🚀 The Labs provides a virtual platform to connect our community of Entrepreneurs, Mentors, Talent, Partners and Industry. We provide networks and access to knowledge, news and talent to support growth for innovation in Australia. The Labs makes it more accessible for Australia's Emerging Tech companies and communities to find connection, empowerment and support. Starting its journey with River City Labs, the Labs continues to be a leading tech innovation enabler for Tech Startups & Scaleups since it was founded in 2012 by one of Australia's most successful tech entrepreneurs and Australian TV Series, Shark Tank investor, Steve Baxter.
RAA's been around for 120 years, and we take pride in providing quality motor, home and travel services to our members in South Australia and Broken Hill. We’re also committed to delivering educational services for the next generation of drivers, as well as advocating on behalf of our members on matters of road safety, mobility, and fuel pricing.
“The name Harrison is derived from a revered figure in the world of medicine who represented the desire to share and transfer medical knowledge for society’s benefit. And that’s exactly what we stand for - faster, better, cheaper, more accessible healthcare - and we need technology and expert partners, like XENON who can help us achieve that, at scale,” Aengus Tran, Harrison AI Co-Founder.
Ambitious startups have grown into multibillion-dollar businesses on Stripe – scaling from pre-seed to post-IPO. Incorporate your company, test and accept payments with no-code tools, and automate financial operations to move faster.
Radium Capital is Australia’s market leader in R&D financing. We were formed by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs. That’s why we don’t think like a bank! We believe businesses with R&D should have access to capital when they need it. So, we created Radium Advances to provide quick, easy and early access to up to 80% of your expected R&D tax incentive refund - in just a few business days. Radium Advances are available as a one-off cash injection, or can be used strategically multiple times throughout the year to smooth cash flow. The more you use Radium Advances the more your R&D benefits. Under a quarterly model, for the same expenditure, you can; • boost your R&D spend by 50% or reduce your outlay by 33%. • reinvest up to 150% of R&D expenditure back into R&D. Since launching in 2017, Radium Capital has provided over $650m of funding to Australian innovation businesses. Find out how innovators across Australia are using non-dilutive R&D financing to accelerate growth, attract other sources of funding and smooth cash flow at radiumcapital.com.au
Talent is everywhere — opportunity is not. Remote’s mission is to create opportunity everywhere, empowering employers to find and hire the best talent, and enabling individuals to build financial and personal freedom. Businesses around the world use Remote to hire, manage, and pay their globally distributed workforces, simply and compliantly. Remote was founded in 2019 by Job van der Voort and Marcelo Lebre, and is backed by leading investors including SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Accel, Sequoia, Index Ventures, Two Sigma Ventures, General Catalyst, and B Capital.
The City of Onkaparinga is South Australia’s largest metropolitan council. The region is a vibrant place with over 170,000 residents across 518 square kilometres. It has some of the best beaches in South Australia, a rich cultural landscape, world-renowned wineries and an abundance of places to explore and things to do. Onkaparinga’s economic strengths include agribusiness and food, health and medical devices, hospitality, manufacturing, tourism, wine and beverages. Home to a multiskilled workforce, property prices and leases are among the most affordable in Adelaide and continuing strong demand for industrial and commercial sites support this wonderful lifestyle location; the gateway between Adelaide and Fleurieu Peninsula. McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Coast is where you'll find the good life! Only a short drive south of Adelaide, McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Coast boasts 31 kilometres of pristine coastline nestled alongside the internationally recognised wine region, McLaren Vale. The region is home to some of South Australia’s most inspirational and recognisable tourism experiences including the famous d’Arenberg Cube. A must visit destination offering world-class food & drink, beaches & villages, nature & adventure, arts & heritage. This spectacular region is the gateway to Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. It’s where the locals never leave and visitors always come back!
Flinders New Venture Institute is Flinders University’s centre for innovation and entrepreneurship. Reflecting Flinders University’s vision, we strive to connect communities to create value and make a lasting positive impact on the world.
Mighty Partners was founded in Sydney, Australia in 2021 by a passionate team on a mission to support the Australian startup ecosystem to thrive and scale. We do this by providing tailored debt funding solutions, to meet the unique needs of every business and to help foster a more diverse funding environment. We’re proud to support companies on their growth journeys and passionate about helping founders and investors to realise their full potential, with greater equity upside. We get it. We’re founders ourselves, we understand the growth process, and that every business’ story is different. We're committed to building long-term relationships and being by our partners side for the full growth journey.
The $50 million South Australian Venture Capital Fund exists to help build dynamic and innovative early-stage South Australian companies to accelerate their growth to a national and global scale, strengthen the competitiveness of the local innovation ecosystem, and attract private sources of co-investment from national and international investors.
Airwallex is the leading financial technology platform for modern businesses growing beyond borders. With one of the world’s most powerful payments and banking infrastructure, our technology empowers businesses of all sizes to accept payments, move money globally, and streamline their financial operations, all in one single platform. Established in 2015 in Melbourne, our purpose is to connect entrepreneurs, business builders, makers and creators with opportunities in every corner of the world. Today, Airwallex has a global footprint across Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America.
Eastend Ventures sets itself apart by embracing a model that is centered on value creation which nurtures early- and growth-stage companies to realise their potential. Our role is multifaceted. We are not only fund managers and investors but also mentors and connectors. This comprehensive involvement aims to foster success and generate value for our investors, portfolio companies and the markets where we have a presence. Like the companies we select for investment, success lies in the quality of our team, each member a fusion of expertise, experience and dedication. The team’s collective acumen is both broad and deep, ranging from early-stage tech investing to operational management, commercialisation strategies and rigorous due diligence.
Square Holes is a human-centered research agency working to optimise growth and innovation, through tailored market research and cultural insight. We are here to transform your strategic vision with human-led insights, creative out-of-the-box thinking and decades of experience. Make ‘research’ Step 1 of your strategic planning.
Tractor Ventures provides a flexible, revenue based financing alternative for founders who want to lead profitable technology companies. Our experienced team provide strong support to the founding teams in our portfolio. We give each business we invest in, the optionality to run profitably, to raise a VC round (on their terms), or to exit early and cement their personal wealth.
Unleashing creativity with a touch of tech magic at Avonet! We're not just your average tech solutions company – we're the squad that turns your wildest creative dreams into digital reality. We're not just in the business of software, apps, and websites; we're in the business of making your jaw drop with our tech wizardry.
Working closely with businesses, industry groups, state government agencies and other relevant organisations, AEDA delivers programs designed to stimulate the city's economic growth with a focus on investment attraction, growing the visitor economy, residential growth, marketing the city and promoting Rundle Mall as Adelaide's premier shopping destination. AEDA is a subsidiary of the City of Adelaide.
