Curtin Business School Executive Education

16/08/2026

⚡ is officially underway!

"There’s nothing quite like the Ignition buzz. It’s hard to describe - you can only really feel it when you walk through the doors."

Yesterday, we welcomed 75 participants to Curtin Ignition 2026 - an intensive entrepreneurship program designed to help aspiring and established founders test, develop and accelerate their business ideas.

The cohort received a warm and meaningful Welcome to Country from Robyn Whadjuk Ballardong Yorga Collard, before hearing all the Ignition nitty-gritty from Academic Lead Ben Thomas and meeting the team who will be supporting them throughout the week: Nicole Gaitan, Steve Brown PhD., Emma Theodore, Andres Saldana, Nicole Hatch and Genevieve Lawton.

After the first of many delicious meals, participants heard from our keynote speaker Marvin Liao, who joined us from Silicon Valley to share his insights and experience.

And that was just the beginning.

Behind Ignition is an extraordinary community of people who generously give their time, expertise and experience to support our founders:
🔥 10 mentors
💡 20 facilitators
🎤 15 speakers
🤝 11 panellists
🧠 41 clinicians and subject matter experts
🚀 48 pitch panellists
🌏 1 Silicon Valley expert

And of course all our incredible and generous sponsors who keep this program running and provide scholarship places for so many of our cohort! This program could not run without you.

Add in great food, long days, long nights and long-lasting connections, and you have the makings of another incredible Ignition week. Over the coming days, our 2026 cohort will develop, challenge and refine their ventures, supported by this remarkable community.

Welcome to Ignition 2026! ⚡

City of Albany City of Bayswater City of Cockburn Curtin University City of Fremantle Landgate Department of Primary Industries & Regional Development City of Kwinana City of Kalamunda Malka Foundation Peel Development Commission City of Rockingham CyberWest Hub City of South Perth City of Subiaco City of Swan Town of Victoria Park City of Wanneroo Wrays | Intellectual Property Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer Curtin Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship

12/08/2026

Posting isn’t a strategy.

Social media can be a powerful tool for your organisation – when it’s backed by a clear strategy.

📱 Social media strategy for organisations
💻 Online from 7 September 2026

Move beyond posts and platforms and discover how to:
✔ Align social media with organisational goals
✔ Better understand and engage your audiences
✔ Use data and insights to guide decisions
✔ Create meaningful and measurable impact

Delivered by award-winning academic and industry experts Professor Mingming Cheng and Dr Jing Zhu from Curtin University’s Social Media Research Lab.

Whether you work in marketing, communications, engagement or manage social media as part of your role, this practical online course will help you take a more strategic approach.

Move beyond posting. Build strategy. Create impact.

👉 Find out more and enrol: https://www.curtin.edu.au/study/prof-development/social-media-strategy-for-organisations/

11/08/2026

Members of the Curtin Executive Education team will be there on the day - a great way ask questions and see what a masterclass looks like!

09/07/2026

The skills you need tomorrow can start with the learning you do today.

Discover a range of practical short courses designed to help you lead with confidence, drive innovation and create meaningful change. Every program is industry-led and focused on skills you can apply immediately in your workplace.

Whether you're looking to grow your career, expand your expertise or tackle new challenges, there's a course to help you make an impact.

Explore our upcoming short courses.

Curtin offers masterclasses in a broad range of topics to help professionals up-skill and stay abreast of the latest trends.

25/05/2026

⚡ 10 DAYS TO GO ⚡

There’s still time to apply for a fully funded place at hashtag . If you’ve got an idea, start-up or business ready for the next step, now is your time.

Ignition brings together founders, innovators, mentors and industry experts for an intensive week focused on:
💡 Refining ideas
🤝 Learning from experienced mentors
📈 Developing business and pitching skills
🌏 Building valuable networks and connections

Visit our website to find out which scholarship criteria you fit into and explore the wide range of funded opportunities available: https://www.curtin.edu.au/study/professional-development/executive-education/ignition/

A huge thank you to our incredible sponsors and supporters for helping make these opportunities possible 🙌
City of Albany
City of Bayswater
City of Cockburn
City of Fremantle
City of Kalamunda
City of Kwinana
City of Rockingham
City of South Perth
City of Subiaco
City of Swan
City of Wanneroo
Curtin University
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
Landgate
Peel Development Commissionssion
CyberWest Hub
Curtin Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship

⏳ Applications close soon — don’t miss out.
👉 Apply now: https://www.curtin.edu.au/study/professional-development/executive-education/ignition/

19/05/2026

Only TWO Ignition information sessions left before scholarship applications close on 4 June.

Want to apply for but need to know more?

Sign up for one of our final two information sessions:
Thursday 21 May 5.00pm – 6.00pm, Perth CBD
Tuesday 26 May 12:00pm – 1:00pm ONLINE

🟨Hear from our lead academic Ben Thomas, and have the opportunity to ask questions.
🟨Learn everything you need to know about the application process and scholarships places available
🟨Discover what to expect during this intensive one-week entrepreneurship program

Register now:
https://curtin.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5j19IBBVScdOh26

17/05/2026

Big ideas meet global expertise at Ignition. ✨

Internationally recognised Silicon Valley investor and start-up expert Marvin Liao returns to this August, working closely with participants throughout the week as a mentor and advisor. 🌏🚀

70 fully funded places. One week intensive. Apply now: https://www.curtin.edu.au/study/professional-development/executive-education/ignition/

07/05/2026

⚡ Applications for Curtin Ignition 2026 are now OPEN! ⚡

Have an innovative idea you want to turn into a business? 💡
Or an existing business ready for growth? 📈

Curtin Ignition is an intensive one-week entrepreneurship program designed to help founders, innovators and business owners refine their ideas, test opportunities and accelerate growth. 🚀

✔ Learn from experienced entrepreneurs, mentors and investors
✔ Build valuable networks and connections
✔ Gain practical tools to strengthen your venture
✔ Access a wide range of fully funded scholarships thanks to our amazing sponsors

Whether you’re starting from scratch or scaling up, Curtin Ignition can help take your next step forward.

👉 Apply now: https://www.curtin.edu.au/study/professional-development/executive-education/ignition/

23/04/2026

Something big is coming…⚡⚡

In just two weeks, applications open for Curtin Ignition 2026 - a leading program for turning ideas into real ventures.

This year, there are up to 70 fully funded scholarships available, making it more accessible than ever to take part.

We’re also excited to welcome back internationally recognised Silicon Valley investor and start-up expert Marvin Liao, who will again join the program as a mentor and advisor, working closely with participants throughout the week.

“Start-ups are a critical driver of innovation and economic growth, programs like Curtin Ignition give founders the tools, perspective and support they need to navigate uncertainty and turn ideas into impactful businesses.”

📅 Curtin Ignition runs this August. Full details 🔗 https://www.curtin.edu.au/study/professional-development/executive-education/ignition/ignition-information-sessions/

Want to learn more before applying? 👉 Register for an upcoming information session and get all the details you need : https://www.curtin.edu.au/study/professional-development/executive-education/ignition/

Curtin Institute for Energy Transition Curtin University Alumni

10/03/2026

📍 𝐊𝐚𝐥𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞 | 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 2026

Curtin Executive Education is bringing two professional development masterclasses to Kalgoorlie this June, supporting capability building across the Goldfields region.

Designed for professionals working across mining, infrastructure, government and regional organisations, these programs focus on practical skills that can be applied immediately.

📅 19 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 – 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠
Build structured approaches to analysing complex problems and making stronger decisions in dynamic environments. Explore the program and register 🔗 https://www.curtin.edu.au/study/prof-development/critical-thinking-for-decision-making-kalgoorlie/

📅 26 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 – 𝐀𝐈 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭
Understand how AI is reshaping project delivery and how to lead AI-enabled initiatives responsibly. Explore the program and register 🔗 https://www.curtin.edu.au/study/prof-development/ai-in-leadership-and-project-management-2/