Governor of Victoria Startup Awards - LaunchVic

Award Categories

Six award categories recognise Victorian startup achievement. These include: 

Company Categories

  • Best Newcomer for firms less than three years old
  • Startup of the Year for those that have had a minimum Series A in the last four years;
  • Scaleup of the Year for firms less than ten years old;

Individual Categories

  • Investor of the Year
  • Ecosystem Hero of the Year
  • Regional Ecosystem Hero of the Year

Selection Criteria

The awards for Best Newcomer, Startup of the Year and Scaleup of the Year categories are selected from a shortlist of the top 30 Victorian startups based on criteria that include: money raised, age of the firm and job creation or number of employees.

This data comes from LaunchVic’s startup database, findingstartups.launchvic.org, powered by Dealroom.

Shortlisted applicants will then be invited to provide a written submission assessed by an external expert panel.

Nominate Now

LaunchVic invites you to nominate a peer who has made the biggest impact on our ecosystem in the following categories:

  • Investor of the Year
  • Ecosystem Hero of the Year
  • Regional Ecosystem Hero of the Year

Nominees will be shortlisted by LaunchVic based on the following criteria:

  • Support for early-stage startups
  • Advocacy for Victoria’s startup ecosystem nationally and globally
  • Championing diversity and inclusion

Nominations close midnight Monday 3 April.

NOMINATE

Past Winners

  • Best Newcomer: Currus Biologics
  • Scaleup of the Year: Linktree
  • Startup of the Year: Seer Medical and Amber Electric (Joint Winners)
  • Ecosystem Hero of the Year (People’s Choice): Aiman Hamdouna, Co-Founder & CEO, Hatch Quarter 
  • Ecosystem Hero of the Year (Expert Panel’s Choice): Jonathan Jeffries, Co-Founder, Think & Grow
  • Investor of the Year (People’s Choice and Expert’s Choice): Aprill and Matt Allen, Co-Founders, Tractor Ventures
  • Regional Ecosystem Hero of the Year (Posthumous): Peter Dostis, Co-Founder and CEO, Runway

FAQs

I’ve been nominated, but I don’t want to participate. What do I do?

LaunchVic will advise you if you have been shortlisted for a specific category at which you can communicate your wish to either be involved or not at this time.

Can I nominate myself?

The Best Newcomer, Startup of the Year and Scaleup of the Year categories will be selected using quantitative data from Dealroom’s findingstartups.launchvic.org’s database rather than a nomination process.

However, you are welcome to nominate yourself, or someone you believe is worthy for the Investor of the Year, Ecosystem Hero of the Year and Regional Ecosystem Hero of the Year. The Top 5 nominations for each category will then be put to an external expert panel to decide the winner.

I live interstate – am I eligible to nominate?

Yes, as long as you are nominating a Victorian-based startup, scaleup, investor, or community builder.

How are the finalists chosen?

The Best Newcomer, Startup of the Year and Scaleup of the Year categories will be selected using quantitative data from LaunchVic’s startup database, findingstartups.launchvic.org, powered by Dealroom, rather than a nomination process.

For the Investor of the Year, Ecosystem Hero of the Year and Regional Ecosystem Hero of the Year award, LaunchVic will invite nominations from the public.

The LaunchVic team will shortlist the top 5 people for each category based on the eligibility criteria, and our external expert panel will assess this list to determine the winners.

Can I win again if I was a winner last year?

Yes.

What is the prize for the Governor of Victoria Startup Awards?

There is no ‘prize’ (monetary or in-kind). However, the winner receives ‘acknowledgment’ of the highest order from the Governor of Victoria for being #1 ranked in front of their colleagues and peers.

What is LaunchVic's role in the awards?

LaunchVic, as Victoria’s startup agency, is coordinating the Awards Process, using both quantitative (Dealroom) and qualitative (Victorian expert panel) metrics to evaluate nominations.

Are these awards a once-off?

This is the second year of the awards. We anticipate these awards will become a regular, annual event hosted by the Governor of Victoria.