What You'll Need to Get Started
Starting something from scratch means being honest about requirements. Not just the obvious tech stuff, but the real setup that makes learning actually work. We've spent years watching founders build from nothing, and these are the pieces that matter.
Your Learning Path Through 2025-2026
We built this pathway after watching hundreds of people move from idea to actual business. Some parts might surprise you—it's less about having the fanciest equipment and more about having the right mindset at each stage.
Getting Your Bearings
The first twelve weeks are about building solid ground. You'll work through fundamental concepts that every startup needs, regardless of industry.
- Market research fundamentals
- Basic financial literacy
- Customer discovery methods
- Problem validation techniques
Building Something Real
Months four through eight focus on creating your minimum viable offering. This is where theory meets reality and adjustments happen constantly.
- Prototype development
- Testing with real users
- Iteration frameworks
- Resource management
Taking It to Market
The final months prepare you for actual launch. You'll learn how to handle feedback, pivot when needed, and maintain momentum through uncertainty.
- Go-to-market strategy
- Early user acquisition
- Metrics that matter
- Growth planning
The Technical Setup You Actually Need
Let's be practical. You don't need a cutting-edge laptop or specialized software to start learning. What you do need is a reliable computer—could be Windows, Mac, or even a decent Chromebook—that can run a web browser smoothly and handle video calls without freezing.
Most of our cohort starting September 2025 will use free tools for the first few months. Google Workspace handles collaboration. Notion or Trello work fine for project management. You can get started with these basics and upgrade as your specific needs become clear.
- Computer with stable internet connection
- Webcam and microphone for group sessions
- Access to basic productivity software
- Willingness to learn new tools as needed
Time Commitment and Schedule Flexibility
Here's where people often miscalculate. The program requires roughly fifteen hours weekly, but it's not evenly distributed. Some weeks you'll coast through with eight hours. Other weeks, when you're testing your concept or preparing a pitch, you might need twenty-five.
Our January 2026 intake runs on a hybrid schedule—two evening sessions per week for live instruction, plus self-paced work you complete on your own timeline. Weekend workshops happen once monthly. If you're working full-time, this structure lets you maintain your job while building something new.
- Average 15 hours per week commitment
- Tuesday and Thursday evenings 6:30-9:00pm AEST
- Flexible self-study during weekends
- Monthly Saturday workshops 9:00am-3:00pm
How We Track Your Progress
Project-Based Reviews
Every six weeks, you'll present your current work to a small group. These aren't tests—they're conversations about what's working and what needs adjustment. You'll get feedback from instructors and peers who understand the challenges because they're facing them too.
Milestone Deliverables
Six major checkpoints throughout the year where you submit tangible work. Could be a market research report, a prototype demo, or a financial model. These submissions help you build a portfolio of actual startup work you can reference later.
Peer Collaboration Exercises
Monthly team challenges where you work with other participants on real business problems. Sometimes it's critiquing each other's concepts, sometimes it's collaborative problem-solving. The goal is building the network and skills you'll need when running your own venture.
Self-Reflection Components
Quarterly reviews where you assess your own learning and adjust your focus. What's clicking? What needs more attention? This isn't busywork—it's developing the self-awareness that separates founders who adapt from those who get stuck.
Callum Lindberg
I thought I needed expensive software and a top-tier laptop before starting. Turns out, the program worked fine on my four-year-old MacBook. What mattered more was having decent internet for the video sessions and enough discipline to carve out study time after work. The flexible schedule meant I could keep my day job while figuring out if entrepreneurship was really for me. By month seven, I'd validated an idea with actual paying customers—all before making any major equipment investments.
Freya Tamsin
The time commitment was real but manageable. Some weeks felt light, others had me working late into Friday nights. The instructors were upfront about this variability, which helped me plan around busy periods at my regular job.
What surprised me most was how much the assessment structure helped rather than stressed me. The six-week reviews forced me to stay accountable without feeling like arbitrary deadlines. And the peer feedback sessions? Those became the most valuable part—seeing how others approached similar problems gave me perspectives I wouldn't have developed alone.
Ready to Start Planning Your Path?
Our next cohort begins September 2025 in Sydney, with the January 2026 intake opening for registration in mid-2025. If you want to explore whether this program matches your goals, let's have a conversation about what you're trying to build.
Get in Touch