ilab Accelerator Pitch Night 2026
Witness ilab's Chapter 1 cohort for 2026 in May as the Chapter 1 Accelerator cohort is gearing up to pitch their breakthrough ideas live to investors, industry leaders, and the wider innovation community.
We invite you to join our startup founders as they pitch to a panel of experts and an audience of innovators from Queensland’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.
After 12 weeks of intensive mentoring, expert-led sessions, and hands-on development, our brightest founders step onto the stage to share their journeys and compete for funding, recognition, and a place in Queensland’s innovation future.
Expect an unforgettable evening of energy, creativity, and fearless ambition. Bold thinkers will bring big ideas to life, ignite conversations, and inspire what comes next. Whether you’re a startup enthusiast, investor, partner, or curious attendee, Pitch Night is your opportunity to experience first-hand the vibrancy and impact of the UQ accelerator community.
Join us and be part of the momentum driving Queensland’s next wave of entrepreneurial success.
The ilab Accelerator Pitch Night is supported by Pitcher Partners, SafetyCulture, UniQuest, and UniQuest Extension Fund.
Chapter 1 cohort
Meet the 2026 Chapter 1 cohort.
Judging Panel
Luke set out to revolutionise safety and quality management in 2004 when he created SafetyCulture, which developed the world’s most used safety and quality inspection app, iAuditor.
Today, SafetyCulture is a global technology company helping frontline teams get better every day.
From humble beginnings in a garage in Townsville, to a valuation of $2.5 billion AUD, the company's momentum continues to build with over 85,000 organisations worldwide relying on SafetyCulture to power their operations.
Today, SafetyCulture is a global technology company helping frontline teams get better every day.
From humble beginnings in a garage in Townsville, to a valuation of $2.5 billion AUD, the company's momentum continues to build with over 85,000 organisations worldwide relying on SafetyCulture to power their operations.
Terry is a hardware and software engineer with a passion to grow businesses with innovative technology products to reach the global marketplace. She has more than 30 years international experience leading small to large enterprises to major product and funding milestones and exit. As well as being a current Queensland Government Innovation Advisory Council Member, she is the Executive Director of Project Insight.
Most recently, as CEO and co-founder of Aurtra, Terry led the business to exit with significant returns to shareholders within 4 years. Aurtra’s IOT and asset management solutions now deliver critical insights for power distribution networks in 30 countries.
Most recently, as CEO and co-founder of Aurtra, Terry led the business to exit with significant returns to shareholders within 4 years. Aurtra’s IOT and asset management solutions now deliver critical insights for power distribution networks in 30 countries.
Josh Duck is a Director of Engineering at Microsoft, where he leads teams building Microsoft's video editing products suite. His work spans AI-powered features and generative AI, delivering experiences used by millions. He has led Clipchamp’s growth from a Brisbane-based startup to a globally distributed team within Microsoft’s Office group.
Previously, Josh worked at Meta in Silicon Valley as a frontend engineer and engineering leader, contributing to foundational web technologies including GraphQL and React.
Previously, Josh worked at Meta in Silicon Valley as a frontend engineer and engineering leader, contributing to foundational web technologies including GraphQL and React.
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Contact
For more information about Pitch Night or UQ's entrepreneurial programs, contact the UQ Ventures team
Disclaimer: This event is being held for the purpose of showcasing startups that are completing the Ventures ilab Accelerator program and not for the purpose of seeking funding, capital, or investment. Presentations do not consider the objectives or financial situation of audience members and should not be taken as advice to investors or potential investors. Pitches are not – and should not be construed as – an offer, invitation, or recommendation to invest.