Applications have now closed. Please register your interest for future programs below:
Designed to give clarity and guidance to early-stage founders who are determined to uncover and understand their customers while validating their market, the Velocity program accelerators early-stage founders. Open to both for-profit and impact startups, our goal is to foster mutual inspiration and motivation for success in business and in impact.
Over the 3 months, Velocity provides support through evening workshops featuring expert speakers, founder stories, and group activities. Surrounded by a cohort of high-potential founders, our carefully designed program aims to propel early-stage startups and their founders forward, increasing the likelihood of founder success. To enhance the journey, Velocity boasts a diverse and supportive community that ensures participants have a support system, a collaborative environment and a safe space to be challenged and test their startup.
In 2024, we are running two Velocity Programs. Our first program for the year will run from early May to July, and our second program will run from September to early December. Both programs will be delivered on Thursday evenings, from 5.30 to 8.30pm, in person at our offices in Melbourne Connect
The program costs $500 per founder, and a University of Melbourne affiliation is not required for this program.
Each workshop builds your startup ‘toolbelt’ with a mixture of theory, group activities, accountability actions, and networking to equip you with knowledge and tools, and keep you on track.
Our mentors have been there and done it! They are excited to share stories and listen to your challenges to help you grow your startup.
Velocity program is filled with founders from different startups, professions and expertise ready to work with each other, sharing skills and experience to help each other solve their biggest challenges.
Network, connect and collaborate with our incredible entrepreneurial community at Melbourne Connect including other program participants, alumni, EIRs, mentors and the MEC team. Attend incredible events such as the MAP Launch and Demo Day, your opportunity to mingle and even debut your startup to Melbourne's ecosystem
The MAP team are here to help you, and we encourage you to visit our team page and connect with us if we can help in any way. For instant answers, browse our comprehensive FAQ section below.
The program is industry-agnostic and is open to both for-profit and impact startups. This is because we believe in creating an environment where startup and impact founders can influence and support each other with their business, technical and impact acumen. You are required to be affiliated with the University of Melbourne to take part.
MAP defines startups as organisations that are scalable, have potential for high growth and or high impact, that use innovation and or address scalable markets.
No, to be eligible for Velocity programs, the participating founder must be located in Victoria.
First-time founders
Yes. We have had many first-time founders in the Velocity program. We support you by surrounding you with people running companies at similar stage to yours and founders who run similar companies to share networks and expertise.
Solo founders
Yes. While we focus on a startup's team, we do take solo founders who have deep knowledge of the problem they are solving and the ability to deliver it.
Non-technical founders
Whilst we certainly like to see startups lead by teams with strong technical talent, it is not a requirement to be accepted into Velocity. If you don’t have a technical co-founder or employee, we encourage founders to seek out that talent while in the program.
Our Velocity Program supports early stage startups that are at problem-solution fit where startups are focused on validating whether they are solving a meaningful problem and pressure test the biggest assumptions in their business model. We accept startups with innovative solutions, transformative ideas and scale for impact. To be competitive, you will need to have a clear concept, and done some early validation prior to entering the program. We also need to see a strong commitment from you and your team - demonstrate an ability to execute.
Our online application process involves you submitting a 3 minute video and answering simple questions about your startup and founding team. If you'd like to see the questions asked and to help you prepare, please have a look at this document for details.
Office hours are currently closed while we are between programs. In future, office times can be booked here.
Absolutely not. All information you submit to us throughout the selection process will remain strictly confidential and private.
You are welcome to submit more than one application if you want to submit multiple startups for consideration, but please note that we will ask you to select only one if both make it past the second round of applications (MAP Team Interview).
Unfortunately we can’t accept applications past the deadline.
The interview stage is for the MAP team to better get to know you and your business, and understand how the Velocity Program could help you. We don't expect you to prepare a pitch; just be ready to have an open and honest conversation about your business and be yourself.
Our Velocity Program supports early stage startups that are at problem-solution fit where startups are focused on validating whether they are solving a meaningful problem and pressure test the biggest assumptions in their business model. We accept startups with innovative solutions, transformative ideas and scale for impact. To be competitive, you will need to have a clear concept, and done some early validation prior to entering the program. We also need to see a strong commitment from you and your team - demonstrate an ability to execute.
No you don’t. We understand that you may not be at this stage just yet. Even if you do have a demo ready to go, we encourage you to chat to our team about when in stage two (the in-person interview) if it would be most appropriate to show it off.
We understand that you will be very keen to hear back about the status of your application, and we will endeavour to process applications as soon as we can. At each stage of the process you will be notified about when you can expect a response by.
Yes. All startups who make it to the second stage of selection process will go through light due diligence facilitated by members of the MAP team. Due diligence is nothing to be worried about, we’re simply looking to confirm the accuracy of information in your application, and to ensure you’re the right fit.
We make every effort to provide each unsuccessful candidate with feedback about their application. This will come in the form of an Office Hours meeting. Unfortunately due to the volume of applications, we can’t guarantee your startup will receive feedback.
The program runs over 12 weeks from May to July for Cohort 1, and September to December for cohort 2. Evening workshops run live at our Melbourne Connect office on Thursday evenings from 5.30pm - 8.30pm.
Equity or ownership
No. MAP does not take any equity or ownership in your company. Instead, we expect MAP founders to join our community, which means giving back by supporting the next generation of startup founders, and being a mentor and ambassador for MAP. This may include contributing to workshops, mentoring a startup in a future cohort, or making a helpful connection to a fellow founder in our community.
Intellectual property
No. You retain full ownership of all intellectual property (IP) your startup creates.
It is $500 per founder to participate in the program. If you have a multi-founder team, we recommend at least 2 founders participate and/or set up a process to feedback information to the rest of the team so key learnings are shared.
MAP operates on a culture of respect. We require that all founders hold themselves at the highest standards as ambassadors in our community. We have not had to ask anyone to leave yet, and our values and code of conduct (which will be covered during inductions) ensure that we hopefully won’t have to do so in the future!
The MAP office is located at Melbourne Connect, Level 1, 700 Swanston Street, Carlton 3053.
Within reason, yes. We have dedicated space for light prototyping work during your co-working times, however any work that produces significant noise or smells will have to be done offsite. Please ensure that you discuss any physical prototyping requirements in your application if needed.
Yes, we have multiple meeting spaces available that you can book for free, as well as video conferencing facilities as well. The MAP office is also surrounded by some of the best cafes and restaurants in Melbourne, a secret list of which will be provided to startups during induction.
