Train your EQ & realise your potential for a successful career in startups.

SO. You care about your performance. You want to improve. There are infinite resources available to help you level up professionally. But where do you start?

Over the course of this 6 week program, you’ll explore the intersection of neuroscience, psychology and reflective practices that are crucial to cultivating mindfulness and building EQ. You will walk away with valuable tools and techniques to embed in your day to day life that will lift your performance, improve health and wellbeing, enhance self awareness and ignite motivation.

If you are working in startups, VC, or any kind of high-pressure, high-performance environment, this Fellowship is for you. From solo-founders, ambitious operators and even whole teams - this program will empower you to align your vision and tap into ambition.


Our inaugural cohort has completed, and our next program dates are yet to be announced.

We will announce dates for the next cohort in the coming weeks.

Register your interest below to stay in the loop

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Who is Craig Davis?


Craig Davis is the co-founder of Sendle and Director of Upside Founder Programs. An investor in more than 50 startups, and a long-time Startmate mentor, he is partnering with Startmate to bring you a unique perspective and practical skills to help you make your mark in startups. 

He spent 20+ years leading multinational advertising networks in Singapore, Hong Kong, London and Sydney, and has been running similar programs since 2015.

“What do you need to sustain yourself in a world of uncertainty? How do you manage your energy and create boundaries when work and life have become a blur? Where do focus, resilience and adaptability come from?”

These are the questions that Craig has spent years teaching people how to answer.



"Craig is a remarkably grounded human who taught us how to lead through connection. I still practice meditation daily because of how Craig taught me to enjoy it on a different level."
Jordy Kay, Founder & CEO Great Wrap


"Craig runs arguably the best programs out there on high-performance that I would highly recommend to anyone who is curious about this topic and wanting to explore self-improvement.

Having now been through multiple courses (SIY, Upside) that Craig has run, he consistently delivers engaging and informative teachings that are incredibly practical in nature - without a doubt you will find useful every day. Definitely a program that you didn’t realise you needed, and most unlike any I’ve ever done before - as I’m sure anyone who has taken one will say the same."
Eamonn Colley, Founder & CEO Vexev

Learn from the inside out

This is a six part learning experience that will take you through core emotional intelligence competency training combining mindfulness, emotional intelligence training and neuroscience. 

You’ll learn a suite of useful frameworks and practical tools to help you perform under pressure, and manage yourself well at work, and in life.

On top of this, you’ll get access to the Startmate community and events for life, filled with ambitious founders, investors and operators that are ready to help you on your startup journey.

🛬 Part 1: Get off autopilot

Most of us spend far too much time on autopilot. Learn how to recognise it in real time and cultivate a higher state of awareness.

🔮 Part 2: Develop self-awareness

Probably the most important startup skill there is. Discover what self-awareness is made of, what it’s so important in the context of a startup, and how to get better at it. 

📋 Part 3: Learn self-management

Now that you are more self-aware, learn effective strategies for managing your emotions so you’re not being jerked around or hijacked by them. 

🏃🏽 Part  4: Understand your motivations

Your values and the vision you have for your life change over time. We’ll explore where you’re at right now and learn strategies for performance and satisfaction.

🫂 Part 5: Cultivate empathy

Like all emotional competencies, empathy is a trainable skill. And it’s critical for startups who need high-performing leaders and teams.

👩 Part 6: Leadership and integration

What kind of leader do you want to be? How do you take all the skills we’ve covered in parts 1-5 and exercise them in high-stakes, high-pressure situations? Here we’ll learn how to put what you’ve learned into practice. 

How is this program different?

📣 Cohort-based program - you’ll follow an actionable, week-by-week program designed to unlock your personal growth. You’ll join a network of high-vetted, high-performance individuals who are just as passionate about self-development as you are. This community will inspire you and hold you accountable throughout the course and beyond.

🚀 Startup-focus - High performance looks different in different environments. Hear from someone who understands the challenges, pressures and opportunities that are specific to the startup industry. There’s no need to second guess that book or question that podcast - all resources are relevant and tailored to your needs.

💡 Expert-led - Craig Davis has spent years running courses that help founders transform into high-performing leaders. By working with Craig, you’ll have the unique opportunity to learn from someone with a deep, lived understanding of high performance in a startup context, and a track-record of building high performance in others. This guy is legit.

👯 Designed for teams as well as individuals - High performance doesn't exist in a vacuum: it is best realised within a team. If you AND your team want to sign up, we've got you covered with group discounts so you can build a high-performing team together.

What you can expect

😰 Less stress

💪🏼 More resilience
🤺 Improved ability to handle conflict

🎨 Heightened creativity

🙊 Skills to handle difficult conversations

🏆 Clear thinking on your approach to leadership
🫱🏽‍🫲🏿 Community for life 

You’ll leave cooler, calmer and more collected with a deeper understanding of what makes you tick, what you need to be successful and how to work effectively with others. You’ll also have a fresh perspective on what makes humans healthy, happy and high-performing, and will be familiar with your own potential, clearer on the things that hold you back, and equipped with proven strategies to help you be your best.


What is included in this program?

🧠 Learning: Weekly sessions and workshops that will leave you with a deeper understanding on how to be your best self.

🤝 Network: You'll be surrounded by leading and high performing founders, operators and investors across ANZ

🧡 Relationships: We’ll give you the support, guidance and resources you need, but at the end of the day the most powerful thing will be the lasting relationships you'll build with people on the same journey as you

🌱 Community for Life: Once you join the Startmate community, you are part of it, forever! You'll gain access to our events, Slack community, and more!

Who is this for?

People working in, founding or investing in startups in Australia and New Zealand. From leadership positions to employees. 

Is the program virtual or in-person?

Program details are yet to be announced.

For our following cohorts, we are considering running the program either in-person, virtually or hybrid.

Register your interest now to have your say and stay in the loop!

When will it run?

Program dates are yet to be announced.

Register your interest now to stay in the loop!

What discounts or scholarships are available?

Startmate offers a range of discounts and scholarships. Our discounts include, but are not limited to:

10% past Startmate fellows, mentors, coaches, and first believers

50% founders of Startmate-funded companies (i.e. Accelerator or Small Bets Fund)

10% employees of Startmate-funded companies

20% if signing up as team of 3 or more from the same company

For more information about scholarship, click here.

Are there any discounts if multiple from the same company want to join?

Yes! If there are 3 or more people joining from one company, there will be a 20% discount, providing you all get into the cohort. To organise this, please send an email to kaya@startmate.com.au

Apply for the High Performance Fellowship By Startmate X Craig Davis