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Grants

LaunchVic offers grants for program providers and investor groups to establish in Victoria and help Victorian founders and their teams start, grow and scale startups. We also partner with other departments and agencies to offer direct grants to founders in priority sectors.

If you have a question regarding LaunchVic funding, send us an enquiry.

Sign up for LaunchVic’s newsletter to be notified about future opportunities, and view a full list of programs that startups can apply to on our programs page.

Open grants Previously funded grants Grant FAQs

Open Grants

FOR STARTUPS

No grants currently available, please sign up to our newsletter for updates.

Other grants for Startups

Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources	Funding and incentives
Australian Government	Grants & Programs
Australian Government	R&D Tax Incentive
Business Victoria	Grants & Programs
City of Melbourne	Grants and Scholarships
CSIRO	CSIRO Kick-Start
Victorian State Government	Grants schemes

For Investors

No grants currently available, please sign up to our newsletter for updates.

For Programs

Grants for University Pre-accelerators

Grants of up to $400,000 to establish new pre-accelerators that help university students and research teams launch their startups, with a requirement for 1:1 matched cash contribution from applicants.

Timings for this Grant Round:

Stage 1

Round launched: Wednesday 26 February 2025
Information Session: Thursday 13 March 2025 11am (AEDT) by webinar
Round Closes: Thursday 22 May 2025 10am (AEST)
Communications: to unsuccessful and shortlisted applicants by 4 June 2025

Stage 2

Interviews: Tuesday 10 or Wednesday 11 June 2025
Communications: to unsuccessful and applicants expected late June
Contracting: Contract execution with recipients expected in mid-late June
Announcement: An announcement will follow once contracts are executed

Overview

LaunchVic is seeking to fund the establishment of high-quality Pre-Accelerator Programs delivered by Victorian-based Universities to support aspiring startup entrepreneurs.

The successfully funded University Pre-Accelerator Programs will:
Support startup entrepreneurs by helping them bring their startup idea to life and create an MVP; and
Increase the pipeline of startups being created across Victoria.

This Project will give Victorian Universities the opportunity to apply for funding to develop a greater entrepreneurship focus within the university, and deliver a pre-accelerator program.

Applicants will need to demonstrate a clear need or gap within their university ecosystem, have demonstrable experience growing startups and startup communities (or commit to working with delivery partner/s who do), and request grant funding for a pre-accelerator program that can realistically help aspiring founders to start and grow startups.

View the Program Guidelines

Watch the Information Session

Read our FAQs

Apply Online

Grants for startups

LaunchVic partners with other government departments and agencies to offer equity-free grants in priority industries. We also offer investment through our targeted funds.

Types of grants for startups:

Startup business grants: Startup business grants help entrepreneurs access business mentoring services, fund trials of their product, or hire talent.

LaunchVic offers up to $50,000 equity-free funding through our CivVic Labs program for aspiring founders. Sign up to our newsletter to be notified when new intakes go live.

Blended capital: Blended capital is an investment with an equity and grant component.

LaunchVic’s Alice Anderson Fund and Hugh Victor McKay Fund take 85% of their investment as equity, and the remainder goes to the founder as a non-dilutive government startup grant.
This allows founders to retain more ownership of their company and be less diluted in future raises.

Grants for Program Providers

LaunchVic offers grants to program providers to bring the world’s best startup support programs to Victoria.

Types of Grants for Program Providers:

Grants for pre-accelerator programs: programs targeted at startup entrepreneurs who have a technology-based idea for a startup and want to establish a business and develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). The program runs for a designated period, and participants ‘graduate’ from the program having followed a set methodology to establish a startup. A Pre-Accelerator program can provide a pathway to an Accelerator program.
Grants for accelerator programs: programs targeted at established Startups who want to scale their business. They are typically fixed-term, cohort-based programs, but may also be delivered in the style of an incubator that accepts startups on an ad-hoc basis. Accelerators (and incubators) are competitive – entry is by way of an application process – and successful startups can expect to receive mentorship and/or education, and introductions to customers and early-stage investors including through a public pitch event or demo day.

Grants for Investors

LaunchVic offers seed funding for investor groups to establish in Victoria and invest in local startups.

Types of grants for investors:

Grants for angel networks: An Angel Network is a formalized group of Angel Investors that collectively evaluate and invest in entrepreneurial ventures. Grants for angel networks fund the operational costs of establishing new networks and unlock more investment for startup founders.
VC Support grants: Grants to cover operational costs for VC funds to establish in Victoria.
Investor Education: Grants for organizations to provide high-quality investor education to build the confidence and capability needed to invest in startups.

Unsolicited Proposals

LaunchVic may in rare circumstances accept unsolicited proposals for grant funding outside of its published grant rounds or re-funding of high-performing programs. Please see here for programs previously funded.

We endeavour to review unsolicited proposals quarterly; however, LaunchVic is under no obligation to do so or provide feedback.

Proposal Assessment Criteria

All unsolicited proposals must demonstrate strong alignment with the following principles:

Alignment with strategy – The proposal clearly aligns with LaunchVic’s strategy 2024-2028.
Uniqueness – The applicant is uniquely positioned to deliver the program.
Expertise – The applicant demonstrates the professional expertise and capability to deliver a successful outcome with minimal risk.
Impact – The proposal responds to a genuine need and will deliver tangible benefits to the Victorian startup ecosystem.
Need for funding – There is a credible and compelling case for LaunchVic investment.
Value for money – The proposal represents a sound return on investment for the Victorian startup ecosystem.
Sustainability – The program includes a clear pathway to sustainability—either by becoming self-sufficient or by strengthening ecosystem resilience.

Proposals that do not meet all of these criteria will not be reviewed.

If your proposal is deemed appropriate for funding, it will be subject to further assessment and due diligence in line with LaunchVic’s established grant processes.

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