Accelerator 2018-19 FAQ

What is the Unearthed Accelerator?

BUILD Phase | October – December 2018

The first phase of the Accelerator program is the BUILD phase designed to assist early-stage startups to build, test and validate the impact of their technology solution with resources industry customers over a three-month period. The BUILD phase is a flexible program achieved through a combination of educational sessions, mentoring sessions, site visits and industry access. The program is designed to be flexible so that teams can commit part-time based on other commitments. It is not required that co-founders be located in Brisbane, Australia for the duration of the program, however, at least one co-founder must commit to be in Brisbane for the program every Tuesday from 8am–5pm over the course of 12 weeks.

SCALE Phase | February – May 2019

The second phase of the Accelerator program is the SCALE phase designed to assist later-stage startups to scale and grow their business domestically in Australia and globally to service resources industry customers to deliver maximum economic impact. The SCALE phase is a three-month intensive full-time program achieved through a combination of educational sessions, mentoring sessions, site visits and industry access. The program is designed for startups committed to working on the business full-time in Brisbane, Australia.

About the Accelerator

Where will the Accelerator program be held?

Both the BUILD and SCALE Accelerator programs will be delivered at River City Labs co-working space in Brisbane, Australia with some travel to various cities across regional Queensland to participate in operational site visits.

What does the program provide my startup?

Industry Access

We provide streamlined access to willing industry partners who form part of the selection panel and hence have buy-in on the startups entering the program. You will receive access to operating sites, intelligence on the industry and insight into specific problems from industry partners. In addition, the Accelerator aims to streamline access for industry trials and demonstrations to validate your solution.

Mentors

We provide access to guidance and mentors including over 50 industry and operational leaders, entrepreneurs, government representatives and business experts. Their role is to support and challenge your team and you will be matched based on personality fit and development needs.

Funding

No funding is provided for participation in the BUILD phase. Startups receive up to A$70,000 of funding as participants in the SCALE phase of the Accelerator program, dependent on both parties agreeing to terms. It is not a requirement that startups accept the funding terms.

Education

The BUILD Accelerator will provide practical skills to understand and identify industry challenges, design and build an MVP (build), validate impact (measure) and learn as part of the process of finding product-market fit. The SCALE Accelerator will provide additional skills to build a resilient team, develop your Go-To-Market strategy, understand channel strategies and seek to make a global impact.

Startup Requirements

How many startups will participate in the program?

The BUILD phase of the Accelerator will admit up to 12 teams, while the SCALE phase of the Accelerator will admit up to 6 teams.

At what stage should the startup be for each phase?

In the BUILD phase of the Accelerator, startups should understand the problem they are seeking to solve in the resources sector, have at minimum a prototype or proof of concept and be working to develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) through the Accelerator. Startups seeking entry into the SCALE phase of the Accelerator must at least have a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and have commenced validation of the impact and value of their product with at least one industry customer.

What is expected of participants?

As a member of the Accelerator cohort, you will be expected to:

• Be willing to learn and have an open mind

• Be a positive contributor to the program and to help other members of the cohort on their journey

• Attend scheduled education/workshop sessions and mentoring sessions

• Demonstrate regular progress in advancing your solution/product/business

• Meet agreed upon weekly milestones

• Participate in the Brisbane Demo Day to showcase your startup to the community

Do I need to be working in the startup full-time?

The BUILD phase of the Accelerator has been designed to allow founders to initially validate whether their concept or solution has alignment and potential to deliver value to resources sector customers. Hence it does not require founders to be working on the business full-time. However, there will be weekly in-person sessions during the program which will require at least one co-founder to be present.

The SCALE phase of the Accelerator is only for co-founders who are committed to working on the business full-time and are committed to scale the business. Startups will have a dedicated co-working space for the duration of the SCALE program.

Do you accept sole founders into the Accelerator program?

Startups with a sole founder (i.e. without at least one co-founder) are proven to have a much lower rate of success, simply because the sole founder becomes the single point of failure for every aspect of the business. Hence, we encourage startups to have at least two co-founders before applying to the Unearthed Accelerator program.

Application Process

Application Criteria

Startups must be working on a novel technology solution, with a digital component, aimed at solving a real industry problem and/or driving significant impact to the resources sector.

Application

Applications for the 2018 BUILD phase of the Accelerator are closed.

Deadline

Applications for the SCALE phase of the Accelerator are open until 5 January 2019. Apply here: https://unearthed.solutions/u/accelerator/brisbane_SCALE_2019

Funding

Does it cost to participate in the Accelerator?

No.

When will my team get the funds?

No funding is provided for participation in the BUILD phase. Startups may receive up to A$70,000 of funding to participate in the SCALE phase of the Accelerator program dependent on both parties agreeing to terms. It is not a requirement that startups accept the funding terms. Funding will be granted in three tranches, with a first instalment at the beginning of the program, second instalment at a midway point and third instalment at the completion of the program.

Post-Accelerator

What happens when the Accelerator program ends?

You will join part of the Unearthed community of innovators, startups and industry. Startups who have graduated from the Unearthed Accelerator find that the Unearthed team and community continues to support them on their journey to achieve continued growth.