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Ned Murdoch didn’t just join the Student Fellowship to learn - he came in with a startup already in motion. As the founder of EarthBrew, a company repurposing waste materials into sustainable fertiliser, he was already knee-deep in the world of startups. The Fellowship gave him the chance to refine his pitch, connect with other founders, and gain fresh perspectives on the early-stage startup journey. Here’s how he’s making an impact in the sustainability space.

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Startmate: Tell us a bit about yourself!

Ned: I’m studying a Bachelor of Science, Global Challenges at Monash University, and I’ve just completed my Earth Science major. This year, I’m starting my Honours, which is a bit unique because I don’t actually know my research topic yet - it’s assigned to us. Hopefully, it’s something relevant to entrepreneurship!

I’ve always been drawn to finding creative solutions to problems and thinking in ways that challenge the norm. My big ambition is to build a real, functioning startup in the sustainability space - something that’s both impactful and scalable.

Outside of that, I love being outdoors, whether it’s camping, rock climbing, or just spending time in nature. That’s where I get a lot of my inspiration.

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Startmate: How did you first hear about the Student Fellowship?

Ned: Through uni! I did an entrepreneurship program at Monash, and a few people I knew had done the Fellowship before.

It kept coming up in conversations, and it seemed like a great way to immerse myself in the startup world while connecting with like-minded people on a similar journey.

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Startmate: What made you interested in startups?

Ned: For me, it’s the mix of creativity and action. I love the challenge of finding better ways to do things, taking risks, and actually turning ideas into something real. Startups are never boring - you’re constantly learning, iterating, and pushing yourself.

I also didn’t want to follow the typical career path that many of my uni peers were taking.

A lot of people I knew were heading toward consulting or big corporate jobs, but I wanted to explore something more hands-on and impactful.

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Startmate: What did you love most about the Fellowship?

Ned: The people. Meeting others who are just as driven and ambitious was the best part. It was inspiring to see how different people approached problem-solving and how passionate they were about their ideas.

The in-person events were a big highlight - it’s one thing to connect online, but meeting in real life and bouncing ideas off each other was invaluable.

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Startmate: Did you pitch at the Founders Challenge?

Ned: Yeah! I pitched EarthBrew, my sustainable fertiliser startup. We repurpose beer waste and quarry waste into a low-emission fertiliser for both home gardeners and large-scale agriculture.

Since I’d already been working on EarthBrew for about six months before the Fellowship, my experience was a bit different from others who were just starting out. It was really interesting to see the raw passion and early-stage thinking from other founders.

Even though I was further along in my journey, I learned so much from how others approached the ideation and validation process.

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Startmate: How did your pitch go?

Ned: It was a bit tricky because one of the judging criteria was demonstrating progress over the two-week challenge. Since we were already more established, our progress looked different - we secured new farm trials and scaled up our waste collection.

Those were big milestones for us, but it was harder to showcase in a pitch compared to others who had just done 50 customer interviews in two weeks.

That said, the feedback was super helpful, and it was great to see how much energy everyone brought to their pitches. There were some seriously impressive ideas in the competition!

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Startmate: Did any founders inspire you during the Fellowship?

Ned: Definitely. I really admire Alex and Chris from Mindset Health (Startmate Melbourne'18 Accelerator Alumni). I first heard them speak at a Monash Generator event, and their journey resonated with me. They shared really practical insights about navigating the challenges of building an innovative startup.

What stood out was their realism - some founders talk about startups in a super aspirational way, but Alex and Chris were honest about the struggles and the risks.

One thing they said that stuck with me was that once you publicly commit to an idea, you’ve already taken the social risk - so you might as well push forward with everything you’ve got.

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Startmate: Do you see yourself continuing with EarthBrew long-term?

Ned: 100%. I’m fully committed to scaling EarthBrew and taking it to the next level. We’re already gaining traction both in the home gardening space (B2C) and on a larger scale in agriculture.

Through this process, I’ve realised just how much I love the fast-paced, problem-solving nature of startups. After this experience, I can’t see myself ever going back to a traditional office job. This is where I thrive.

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Startmate: What’s next for you?

Ned: We’ve got a few big things happening! We’re in the process of expanding our farm trials, and we’re picking up about four tonnes of beer waste every fortnight to turn into fertiliser.

We also just got accepted into the LaunchVic Civic Labs Safety Challenge, where we’re working on reducing farmers’ exposure to harmful chemical fertilisers. That’s a huge step for us, and I’m really excited about it!

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Startmate: Any advice for students considering the Student Fellowship?

Ned: Just jump in. Whether you’ve got a startup idea or not, the Fellowship gives you an incredible network and so many learning opportunities.

Also, don’t be afraid to share your ideas and ask for feedback. The best part of the program is the people you meet, so make the most of those connections.

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Ned’s journey with EarthBrew is just getting started, but his experience in the Student Fellowship helped him refine his pitch, expand his network, and gain new insights into the startup world. If you’re looking for a way to explore entrepreneurship, connect with ambitious peers, and push your ideas forward, take the leap - just like Ned did.

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