Writing

From $0 to $4.5 Billion: How the Startmate Pay-It-Forward Mentorship Model Built a Startup Powerhouse

Accelerator

Community

Startmate

Startups 101

From $0 to $4.5 Billion: How the Startmate Pay-It-Forward Mentorship Model Built a Startup Powerhouse

Bell Allen

October 10, 2025

Since 2010, Startmate has invested in over 350 startups. Often pre-revenue, pre-product, for all our founders, we are their very first believers. Let's meet some of them...

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Accelerator

Meet our Winter ’26 Accelerator Cohort

Emma Grife

July 29, 2026

Meet the 16 companies joining Startmate’s Winter ’26 Accelerator cohort.

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Accelerator

Veltora Founder Story

Sid Tatikonda

October 15, 2026

Coding since age 10, 19-year-old solo founder Aan Mehta is building the predictive intelligence layer running underneath data centres.

Accelerator

Sunburnt Space Co Founder Story

Sid Tatikonda

October 15, 2026

A rocket kit bought with a first pay cheque, factory keys collected at 4:55pm on 20 December, and a mission to make Australia a launch nation.

Accelerator

Security Break Founder Story

Sid Tatikonda

October 15, 2026

After 15 years in cybersecurity at McAfee and Microsoft, Thomas Roccia is building the AI security foundation for enterprises with Security Break.

Accelerator

Quarter Founder Story

Sid Tatikonda

October 15, 2026

A job interview over wine in Brunswick and an accidental body corporate chair role led to Quarter – helping owners self-manage their buildings.

Accelerator

Orva Founder Story

Sid Tatikonda

October 15, 2026

A late dinner, a three-week sprint in a dental clinic and 14,000km of kiwi fruit: how Orva is giving clinicians a hands-free way to chart gum disease.

Accelerator

Hyperlocalise Founder Story

Sid Tatikonda

October 15, 2026

Ex-Canva and Heidi localisation lead Minh Cung and co-founder Hans Bui are building the intelligence and execution layer for global growth.

Accelerator

Glowback Founder Story

Sid Tatikonda

October 15, 2026

From funding a year of travel with a side business to leaving law, Maddi Coleman is helping service businesses win clients back with two-way SMS.

Accelerator

Forward Founder Story

Sid Tatikonda

October 15, 2026

Three 21-year-olds quit their jobs, flew one-way to SF and are now automating private credit origination – backed by Y Combinator.

Accelerator

EstiMate Founder Story

Sid Tatikonda

October 15, 2026

Two ex-elite athletes from the trades knew nothing of startups 12 months ago. Now EstiMate is at $120K ARR and has priced $200M+ in construction projects.

Accelerator

develpr Founder Story

Sid Tatikonda

October 15, 2026

A construction veteran saw one pitch and told two founders to scrap their product. Together they're turning months of planning feasibility into a day.