ADELAIDE, Australia, Apr. 5 (ANTARA/Medianet International-AsiaNet) --
- 45 mentors on board to work with the winners of the inaugural program
- Applicants from Australia, Asia Pacific, Europe and America are in the running for the ten places.
- Applications close at midnight April 20
The inaugural ANZ Innovyz START program - a three month accelerator program modelled after the highly successful TechStars program in the United States (rated as the world's #1 accelerator program) has been gaining significant traction within the APAC region and globally.
The program has already signed on 45 mentors from Australia and around the world. Some of the best innovators and business minds will be spending a week in Adelaide with the ten companies that are chosen for the accelerator and will maintain an ongoing mentoring relationship with the participants.
Recent international additions to the power packed mentor team include:
- Chris Bernard - Start-up Director & Advisor, Chief Experience Evangelist, Microsoft. Previously he was Creative Director at IBM's Centers for Innovation.
- Lu Cordova -Successful technology entrepreneur and past Chair of the Board of the US Federal Reserve Bank, 10th District
- Jim Greene - Vice President and Global Leader of Transformational Sales, CISCO
- Catharine Merigold- Co-Founder of Vista Ventures, a venture capital fund that's performing in the top decile for all early-stage venture funds raised in 2000,.
- Peter Saal - Founder of MetaWorks which was subsequently acquired by Google
- Tony Falkenstein-Founder of publicly listed Just Water International Limited and Bartercard New Zealand Limited.
"I am pleased that so many successful CEOs and corporate executives (many of whom were once CEOs of start-up companies) are willing to "give back" and come to Adelaide as mentors in the ANZ Innovyz START program. Our 45 mentors have an incredible wealth of experience that will be invaluable to the companies we select for the program," said Dr Jana Mathews, Program Director.
"Companies from Australia, Asia Pacific and even a few internationally are currently submitting applications in our focus area (mobile, web 2.0 and software). We're excited by their innovations and pleased to see such committed founders. Those who’ve been through the original TechStars program say it’s the best decision they ever made, and we know our companies will feel the same about the ANZ Innovyz START program," says Dr. Matthews
Key dates:
- April 20 - Applications close (midnight)
- May 14 - Ten successful companies announced
- May 28 - ANZ Innovyz START program begins (3 months)
- August 16 - Investor Day Presentations
- August 17 - Program ends
For more information or to apply, go to www.innovyzstart.com
About ANZ Innovyz Start
ANZ Innovyz Start is 12 week accelerator program modelled after the highly successful TechStars program in the United States (rated as the world’s #1 accelerator program). Many companies apply but only 10 are accepted. Those CEOs and one or two team members move to Adelaide, AU for 3 months (May 28 - August 17, 2012). ANZInnovyz Start will give a $6,000 grant to each founder (up to $18,000 for three founders) to participate in the program. The Program Director works with each company to develop a viable plan for commercializing its break-through innovation. The program includes mentoring by successful entrepreneurs, learning programs around growing a company, identification of target markets, working and reworking the company's plan, and a presentation to potential investors on the final day of the program. ANZ Innovyz-Start is one of 35 accelerators in the Global Acceleration Network that was created by TechStars. http://www.innovyz.com/innovyz-start
For further details and interview opportunities please contact:
Sibil Philip-Jhaveri,
Senior Consultant: McClusky & Co Public Relations and Communications
Tel: +61450513650 or
+618 8372 3000
sibil@mccluskyco.com.au
ANZ Innovyz Start Program Director, Dr Jana Matthews - Jana@innovyz.com
SOURCE: Innovyz
Editor: PR Wire
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
