Hey. we get it.
Uni can someeetimes feel like one long list of deadlines essays, labs, exams, assignments, repeat.
Somewhere between lectures and late-night study sessions, tho you might start wondering: is there more I could be doing?
Something creative. Something messy. Something that’s actually yours.
If that's you. The Student Founder Bootcamp is calling your name.
💡 You don’t have to “be a founder” to join
The Student Founder Bootcamp isn’t a program for people who’ve already started companies - it’s for students who want to try what founding feels like (without the dropping out of uni and living on 2-minute noodles part).
For two weeks, you’ll team up with other curious people, explore startup ideas, and learn how founders think. It’s hands-on, collaborative, and designed to fit around your life — not take it over.
It’s for the student who’s still figuring things out but knows one thing for sure: they’d rather build something than just talk about it.
⚙️ What you actually do
1️⃣ Form a team with 2-4 other students from across ANZ.
2️⃣ Find a problem worth solving. Maybe something that annoys you on campus, or a big idea that’s been sitting in your Notes app.
3️⃣ Test your ideas fast. Talk to potential users. Make something scrappy. See if anyone actually cares.
4️⃣ Pitch what you’ve built to Startmate’s Investment Team — the same people who back startups like Great Wrap, Zipline, and Mindset Health.
Everything’s virtual and built for students’ schedules — around 15 hours total across two weeks, mostly in the afternoons, with recorded sessions if you can’t attend live.
There are also two 1:1 coaching sessions with real founders and operators who’ve done it before. They’ll help you figure out what to prioritise, how to structure your days, and when to stop overthinking.
🧭 Your “exploration” era
Here’s the secret: you don’t have to build a billion-dollar company to get something out of the Bootcamp.
You can simply treat it as a test drive - an experiment in what it’s like to make decisions quickly, lead a small team, and deal with uncertainty.
Even if you never start another company, you’ll walk away with:
- Confidence to share ideas out loud
- Experience working cross-discipline with other students
- A real project you can talk about in interviews
- New mates who think as wildly as you do
🎯 Built for balance
It’s short, focused, and collaborative. You’ll move fast, but you won’t be drowning in content.
Sessions happen Monday to Thursday in the afternoons. Fridays and weekends are for reflection, team work, or just catching up on sleep.
And because it’s fully virtual (with optional in-person socials), you can take part from anywhere.
🪐 Beyond the two weeks
New this round: The Student Founder Bootcamp doesn’t end when the two weeks do.
You’ll finish the intensive in December, then use the summer break to keep building, validating, or pivoting your idea at your own pace.
By mid-January, you’ll submit your final pitch video - your chance to show what you’ve learned and how far you’ve come. It’s flexible. It’s open-ended. It’s designed to fit life as a student.
And if you submit that pitch? You’ll get your program fee refunded. $200 back. Slay.
🧩 Who it’s for
If you’re reading this, you’re probably already the kind of person who asks, “What if?”
You might be:
- A science student obsessed with solving real-world problems.
- A law student curious about entrepreneurship.
- A designer who wants to build something of their own.
- Or just someone who wants to meet people who think differently.
Every Bootcamp cohort is a mix of backgrounds, bachelors, skills and ambitions. You’ll meet people who challenge you, complement you, and sometimes become your co-founders.
🚀 Why it matters
Exploring founding while you’re still at uni gives you an advantage most people don’t get until much later.
You’ll understand how startups work from the inside. You’ll see how fast ideas can move when you have the right people around you. And you’ll learn what it actually feels like to start something.
The Student Founder Bootcamp isn’t about leaving uni.
It’s about using it = your time, your network, your curiosity to figure out what you want to build next.
Apply to the Student Founder Bootcamp
The #1 way for students to explore being a founder — no experience required and a great point to put on your CV.
