Macquarie Incubator

02/09/2026

Last week, we welcomed 20+ students taking part in our START Program at the Macquarie University Incubator! 🚀

Our students were ready to turn their ideas into real ventures, whether they came in with a concept already in mind or joined a team on the day.

Across 3 days, they dove into problem definition, market validation, prototyping, and pitching.

We're excited to see where these ideas go as several students gear up to pitch for the chance to win funding to bring their ideas to life.

21/08/2026

Pitching isn't just a startup skill.

Whether it's a job interview, a class presentation, a competition entry or a business idea, being able to explain something clearly and get people on board is a skill worth having. The MQ Incubator's Pitch Program helps you build exactly that — and it's free for all current Macquarie students.

Register for our September 3rd session now!

https://events.humanitix.com/pitch-program-2026-cohort-3

19/08/2026

What if the future of university learning isn't about creating deeper specialists, but better thinkers?

At our recent event, The Future of University Learning: Perspective, Not Just Expertise, Dr. Joseph Steensma challenged the idea that solving complex problems requires ever-narrower expertise. Instead, he argued that today's challenges demand people who can think across disciplines, connect ideas, and apply insights from different fields to create meaningful solutions.

Thank you to everyone who joined the conversation.

18/08/2026

Want to win work with local government? Start here.

Join us Wednesday 26 August, 1–2pm for Getting Procurement Ready — a practical, interactive workshop designed to help businesses understand how to supply goods and services to local councils.

Delivered in partnership with Macquarie University Incubator and City of Ryde Council, the session will cover:

🔹 How councils buy goods and services
🔹 What procurement teams look for in suppliers
🔹 Common procurement myths and mistakes
🔹 How to get your business procurement-ready
🔹 How to position yourself to compete for opportunities with confidence

We’ll be joined by Vanessa Di Pietro, a procurement specialist with 14 years’ experience across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Vanessa will cut through the jargon and share practical, real-world advice for navigating local government procurement.

📅 Wednesday 26 August
🕐 1–2pm
📍 8 Hadenfeld Avenue, Macquarie University Incubator
💻 Hybrid attendance available

Register here:

Register on Humanitix - Getting Procurement Ready Workshop hosted by Macquarie University Incubator. The Incubator, The Incubator, 8 Hadenfeld Ave, Macquarie Park NSW 2113, Australia. Wednesday 26th August 2026. Find event information.

10/08/2026

MQ Students! Got an idea but not sure if it actually solves a real problem?

The MQ Incubator's START Program is a deep dive into validating your business idea and testing the market — before you spend months building the wrong thing.

You'll work through design thinking and lean startup methods, covering:
🔹 Defining your value proposition
🔹 Customer discovery (real interviews, real feedback)
🔹 Business model canvas
🔹 Prototyping
🔹 Pitch development

Finish with a digital credential — and a shot at part of $20,000 in seed funding across this year's cohorts.

Register now for our ! https://events.humanitix.com/start-program-2026-cohort-2

06/08/2026

What if the future of university learning isn't about going deeper, but seeing wider?

Join us for a keynote with Prof. Joe Steensma from Washington University in St. Louis as he makes the case that today's biggest problems aren't solved by more specialisation, they need people who can connect the dots across disciplines.

Whether you're an academic shaping curriculum or a student figuring out what skills actually matter for your future, this one's worth an hour of your day!

📅 Wed 12 Aug, 12–1pm AEST
📍 01WW G03, Ainsworth Building, Macquarie Park

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/shining-the-light-how-perspective-creates-breakthroughs-in-learning-innovation-and-impact

05/08/2026

Today's Lunch & Learn with Professor Joe Steensma prompted us to challenge how we think about "capital" and spoiler: it's not just about money!

A few highlights from the session:
🔹 Capital comes in more forms than we realise — social, material, political, and financial capital can all move your venture forward
🔹 The capital you need most might already be within reach, it's about knowing how to recognise it
🔹 Joe walked us through exactly where to go to source the right kind of capital for your stage of growth
🔹 We covered how to effectively put that capital to work to accelerate your venture's development

Whether you're building a business, a social venture, or a non-profit, the big idea stuck: the resources you need to grow may be closer than you think.

Thanks to everyone who came along and to Joe for sharing his expertise!

04/08/2026

Reminder! Our August Lunch & Learn is TOMORROW!

When you think "capital," you probably think money. But what if the capital you need most to grow your venture isn't financial at all?

Join Professor Joe Steensma, entrepreneurship expert, as he unpacks the different types of capital – social, material, political, financial, and more – you need to move your business forward. You'll walk away knowing exactly where to find that capital and how to put it to work.

Whether you're running a startup, social venture, or non-profit, this one's for you.

📍 Spots are limited and this is happening tomorrow, so if you haven't registered yet, now's the time!

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/mq-incubator-lunch-and-learn-or-joe-steensma-2026

29/07/2026

What a week! 🎉

A huge thank-you to everyone who stopped by our O-Week stall from Friday to Tuesday! Whether you came for a chat, picked up some merch, or signed up to find out more, we loved meeting you.

If you missed us this time, don't worry! We've got plenty of events & programs coming up at the Incubator, so definitely check them out!

You can find out all the latest events happening at the Incubator by signing up for our newsletter! 🔗 https://www.mq.edu.au/partner/access-business-opportunities/innovation-entrepreneurship-and-it/incubator/news/join-our-mailing-list

27/07/2026

When you hear "capital," you probably think money. But what if the capital your venture needs most isn't in your bank account, it's already within reach?

Join us for our next Lunch & Learn with Professor Joe Steensma, an entrepreneur, scientist, and educator who's founded and led multiple companies and mentored hundreds more along the way.

Joe will help you unpack the full range of capital available to you, including social, material, political, financial, and show you exactly where to find it and how to put it to work to move your venture forward.

Whether you're running a startup, social venture, or non-profit, and whatever stage you're at, this session will change how you think about what it takes to grow.

🗓️ Wednesday 5th August, 12-1PM
📍 Hybrid (In person @ MQ Incubator or Online via Zoom)

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/mq-incubator-lunch-and-learn-or-joe-steensma-2026