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"First Believers is like getting thrown into the deep end of the pool -- with all your friends! Bad metaphors aside: whether you're in the beginning of your investing journey or a seasoned investor, the hands-on experience and the community at First Believers is truly incomparable. You learn quickly that investing is a team sport, and First Believers is one of the best teams!"
“I was working from a super low base from a knowledge perspective and didn’t feel like a idiot at any point (rare!) content was super inclusive. WOW! I loved the HANDS ON EXPERIENCE. Actually getting to meet founders with real investment outcomes was an incredible way to apply knowledge immediately.”
"If you’ve ever wanted to start investing in the people who are building big things for the future and solving high-value problems but don’t feel like you’d know where to start or feel there are barriers to getting involved, First Believers is for you. What you’ll find is a powerful community of some of the most ambitious and open-minded investors, operators and founders in the world."
“Startmate gives virtually unlimited opportunity to see deal flow and build pattern recognition.  Best education in the space you could imagine.  Even seasoned investors would benefit.”
"First Believers is the must-do program for any aspiring or current angel investor. It took my understanding and connections within the start-up ecosystem from 1 to 100. I could not recommend this program more highly to anyone who is keen to learn more about the ANZ start-up ecosystem and how to back aspiring founders."
"First Believers transformed me into an Angel Investor. It’s part of my identity now and I am thrilled. Being able to support Australia’s newest Founders is a huge privilege, sometimes I still pinch myself. First Believers has been a pivotal life moment for me."
"This program really opens doors! I really loved the practical and hand-on nature of the learning which was always geared toward action. It was an excellent way to take my knowledge from near-zero to hero in only 12 weeks."
“My experience on the First Believers program was beyond expectations. First Believers provided an inclusive, expansive community to share and explore how to get involved in angel investing. The SM team were awesome. No BS, no egos, just great people. Would highly recommend!”
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This is not about passively learning theory and concepts - First Believers is all about giving you the tools to invest, then putting those tools to use during the course.  By the end of the course, you’re already well on your way to being a seasoned angel investor.
First Believer come from all walks of life. From musicians, event-planners, doctors, bankers, and more. We also proudly include founders and top operators from...
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You want to have an outsized impact on the world.
‍We believe startups are the single most powerful way to build a better future. If you do too, then come learn the theory of investing and put it into practice.
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You’re excited about startups, and keen to uncover and foster the next generation of great founders.
‍First Believers have front row seats in helping us select, mentor and invest in the next gen of Accelerator founders.
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You're curious about the investment side of startups.
‍Maybe you have experience in startups, maybe you don't. Either way, you want to learn more about what makes a good startup and how to make strategic investment decisions.
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The First Believers program fee is $5,500 including GST.
We're committed to seeing better representation in the startup ecosystem, and we don't want financial limitations to be a prohibiting factor from participating in First Believers. Startmate offers full and part scholarships for the First Believers program. This fee will only be invoiced after program acceptance. The fee can be paid upfront or via instalments.
NZGCP proudly sponsor one NZ position per cohort.
Minderoo proudly sponsor up to three places for First Nations participants per cohort.
First Believers requires a time commitment of three hours per week to engage with the content and community.
The program runs virtually twice a year, kicking off in March and September, with applications due the month before.
As the program is run remotely, we encourage you to apply from anywhere in Australia or New Zealand.
Each cohort is made up of ~60 people across a range of industries, locations and levels of experience.
No! First Believers is about developing future investors.
We understand the ambition to be an investor might come before the financial position to back your belief in founders.
Amongst a number of pathways for non-sophisticated investors, we have uniquely raised a $1 million Small Bets Fund exclusively for First Believers of all backgrounds to invest into founders at the very beginning (and earn carry in the fund while doing so).
If you want to build confidence in making early-stage startup investments, better understand the investor lens, or build life-changing relationships with other ambitious investors and founders, First Believers is the place for you.
You don’t have to be a sophisticated investor. You don’t need to have $$$ to invest. You can join with or without any prior experience.
First Believers come from a range of backgrounds, including past founders, corporate venture capitalists, high-growth technology company employees, and ecosystem champions.
We focus on the things you can't Google and provide unparalleled hands-on investing opportunities.
Over 14 weeks, you'll learn the craft of investing from world-class investors through the Startmate network, while simultaneously being exposed to 500+ early-stage startups. This is not about passively learning abstract concepts. It's about learning by doing and making real investment decisions on real companies with real outcomes.
Alongside other First Believers, you'll refine and develop your investment strategy, establish clear next steps in your journey to investing, and be supported in realising them.
Investing is a decade-long journey. We’re building a community to be there with you every step of the way. You'll develop deep relationships with First Believers and be a part of a community for life.
You also get ongoing exposure to Startmate's deal flow, and have opportunities to learn-by-doing (even if you don't have capital to invest right now).
Startmate is the most active early-stage investor in Australia. We invest at the very beginning of a founder's journey, making us best-placed to help budding angel investors. We help founders to realise their bold ambitions every day. We’ve been accelerating founders for more than a decade and we want to open this world to you.
NZGCP proudly sponsor one NZ position per cohort