In summary

  • Swinburne has become the first university in Victoria to launch the Australian Government’s innovative new Startup Year program
  • The Graduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship (Startup Year) commences in Semester 2, 2024
  • The immersive 12-month program is tailored for graduates and current students who are eager to solve a problem, bring new ideas and perspectives, want to be their own boss, or are keen to start their entrepreneurial journey but don’t know where to begin.

Poised to ignite entrepreneurial education in Victoria, Swinburne has become the first university in Victoria to launch the Australian Government’s innovative new Startup Year program. Applications are now open for the Graduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship (Startup Year), commencing in Semester 2, 2024.

The immersive 12-month program is tailored for graduates and current students who are eager to solve a problem, bring new ideas and perspectives, want to be their own boss, or are keen to start their entrepreneurial journey but don’t know where to begin.

Swinburne was handpicked as one of just three institutions in the state (and one of 11 across Australia) to participate in the Federal Government's National Startup Year Pilot, which is funded through the Government’s Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) called STARTUP-HELP.

“A game changer”: successful founders share how program could transform student startups

Mariyam Sayers, a Swinburne alum who founded climate change-tackling learning platform, kandu sustainability, believes the program will be a game-changer for students on the (sometimes lonely) entrepreneurial journey.

“Having a structured program and access to expertise from different areas through the university would have been a game changer for a startup like kandu, which focuses on accessible education," Sayers says.

Sayers began her entrepreneurial journey after being accepted into Swinburne’s six-week pre-accelerator program last year and has secured partnerships to make sustainability knowledge more accessible for organisations.

"One of the biggest benefits of the pre-accelerator program was finding a tribe of others with diverse skills, yet at similar stages of the journey. A longer program like Startup Year can provide extended support and more collaboration opportunities,” Sayers says.

Mariyam Sayers, Swinburne alum and founder of kandu sustainability

Another 2023 Swinburne pre-accelerator program alum, Oliver Farnill, is one of the brains behind $3 million start-up company, Fluency, an automated finance solution which saves time, money and resources while creating better documentation. 

Farnill says he would have jumped at the chance to participate in Swinburne Startup Year if it was available during his studies.

“It's great to be surrounded by like-minded individuals facing similar startup challenges. Mentoring and network opportunities are extremely helpful in mapping out and setting the trajectory for your early growth,” Farnill says.

Swinburne proudly doing entrepreneurial education differently

Swinburne’s Vice President of Innovation and Enterprise Dr Werner van der Merwe says Swinburne’s distinctive approach to entrepreneurship, focused on cross-disciplinary collaboration and deep industry connections, will provide a perfect jumping off point for future founders.

“At Swinburne, entrepreneurship is in our DNA, across staff, students and alumni. We have an incredible portfolio of disciplines that work perfectly as the starting point for any business idea,” says Dr van der Merwe.

​“Swinburne Startup Year will allow changemakers to kick off their own business ventures and explore their entrepreneurial spirit. Participants will be able to tap into academic expertise, connect directly with industry, gain support through a range of professional services, and leverage Swinburne’s venture community to create and scale their startup,” Dr van der Merwe says.

Startup Year students will have access to a dedicated floor called the Student Startup Hub in the universities' brand new Swinburne Switch building to knuckle down and bring their ideas to fruition.

Students will benefit from meaningful engagement with experts from diverse fields across the university meaning all types of business ideas can be explored in diverse areas like health, design, cyber security, games and animation, aviation, and more.

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