Propel your digital, hybrid Software-As-A-Service (SaaS) or full SaaS business into rapid growth with UQ’s new Momentum Accelerator.
Throughout our 15-week program, each qualifying business receives expert guidance to enhance business skills, grow networks, and boost scaling plans to help participants prepare for significant fundraising. We'll determine if raising capital is right for you and act accordingly. The program concludes with a pitch to top investors, offering direct funding opportunities via our partnership with Queensland Investment Corporation's Venture Capital Development Fund (VCDF) and other investment groups. Hosted by UQ, it's open to all and not limited to UQ students or university affiliates.
Applications for the Momentum Accelerator are now closed.
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Momentum Accelerator for Digital Business and SaaS will run for 15 weeks from 8 April to July 2024 at UQ's Long Pocket dedicated Ventures Studio.
Program commitment required:
- 1 day each week of structured program content and on-site UQ Ventures Studio Long Pocket (Brisbane)
- 1 session each week (in-person or virtual) to support cadence and founder health and wellbeing
- founder updates and talks from industry experts, innovators, and Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIRs) will be scheduled regularly throughout the program.
Throughout the program your team will have access to:
- 24/7 co-working space and makerspace
- regular seminars and talks from speakers, industry specialists, investors, and successful founders
- a dedicated entrepreneur who has successfully navigated the startup-to-exit journey, along with a world-class EIR
- partnership benefits from Google, Microsoft, AWS, Hubspot, Matlab, Makerspace and more.
The program will culminate in Pitch Event, where selected enterprises will have the chance to present their business to venture capitalists and investors. The program's unique collaboration with the Queensland Investment Corporation's Venture Capital Development Fund enhances the potential for investment by providing significant support to accelerator business growth.
Virtual session to cover key information, Q&A, and applications tips
Date: 26 February 2024
Time: 6.00-7.00pm
Venue: (online)
Fireside chat with EiR Dale Rankine and Program Manager Yazz Krishna
Date: 4 March 2024
Time: 5.15pm for a 5.30 start until 7.00pm
Venue: UQ Brisbane City, 308 Queen Street, Room 511
Applications for the Momentum Accelerator will open shortly to any Queensland or Queensland-based business in the digital, SaaS, or hybrid SaaS space.
We are looking for passionate and committed founders, co-founders, CEOs, owners, and directors with businesses that have experienced initial growth and are now poised to elevate their operations to new heights.
You do not have to be a UQ student or affiliated with any other university to apply. Applicants must
- have a registered ABN/ACN
- have an office in or be based in Queensland
- have a digital business or be focused on SaaS (or hybrid SaaS)
- have market traction with growth, either in the form of active users or in revenue/sales
- have a business with significant growth potential
- have a business with a defendable competitive advantage
- be strongly considering raising capital to facilitate growth
Overview and Terms and Conditions (PDF, 201.3 KB) View Agreement (PDF, 261.3 KB)
You will be required to sign the Momentum Accelerator Agreement to participate in this program. Participating in the program is a significant commitment, incorporating 1 day a week for a structured program and 1-on-1 sessions. There are key deliverables and activities each week that are expected to take a reasonable amount of time to complete and commitment is required for events, the pitch night, and presentations.
Founders are expected to participate in at least 90 per cent of the provided workshops and accountability sessions. Lower participation may result in founders losing their funding and being removed from the program.
Application process
Placement in the Momentum Accelerator program is competitive. Applicants must complete a four-stage application process to be accepted into the program (one per team).
UQ's Momentum Accelerator offers access to capital through established venture capitalists as well as potential access to angel investors.
While being part of the accelerator significantly enhances your visibility to investors and the Venture Capital Development Fund (VCDF), funding is not guaranteed. It remains merit-based and competitive. UQ Ventures will provide the guidance and support to put your most compelling pitch together as you seek investment.
Please seek your own independent advice before entering into this agreement. UQ is not responsible for you and/or your companies’ independent financial situation.
Find out more about funding in the terms and conditions. (PDF, 201.3 KB)
Yazz Krishna, Program Manager
The Momentum Accelerator is spearheaded by Yazz Krishna, a seasoned entrepreneur known for founding Five Faces, a Brisbane-based Enterprise SaaS and managed service provider. Under Yazz's leadership, Five Faces expanded internationally in the retail and healthcare sectors before his exit in 2021. Currently, as the Director of Yazz Investments, Yazz dedicates his expertise to supporting early to mid-stage entrepreneurs.
His areas of specialisation include sales structure and team development, distribution channels, enterprise solution deployment, high-performance team management, commercial negotiations, resolving shareholder disputes, MVP development, and crafting go-to-market strategies.
Yazz is passionate about guiding startups and scaleups through the capital raising process, and ensuring they are well-informed, prepared, and aware of their financing options.
Dale Rankine, Enterpreneur-in-Residence (EiR)
Dale brings more than 30 years of experience in serial entrepreneurship and venture building across key technology trends, from web and mobile to cloud computing and IoT.
His significant achievement includes founding Reekoh, an integration platform leader, and leading it to a strategic exit with Autodesk, highlighting his skills in capital raising, growth driving, and achieving successful exits. Dale's ventures demonstrate his ability to identify early-stage opportunities, scale businesses globally, and create substantial value, underscored by his commitment to technological innovation and commercial opportunities.
Beyond his business acumen, Dale is committed to the wellbeing of founders, offering coaching to balance professional growth with personal wellbeing. His broad impact on the tech industry and dedication to mentoring underscores his role as a guiding light for entrepreneurs aiming for innovation, strategic expansion, and maintaining a harmonious professional-personal life balance.
Expressions of Interest are now open for the Momentum Accelerator female founders cohort