Hot DesQ

Would you like to position yourself in the growing Asia-Pacific market and participate in Queensland, Australia’s vibrant startup scene? Apply to this startup accelerator and you may get all that, plus a grant of up to $80,000 USD!

Register your interest in the 2018 session and follow Lootstrap on Facebook for updates!

Award Amount

  • $50,000 ‒ $100,000 AUD (approx. $40,000 ‒ $80,000 USD)

Location

  • Queensland region, Australia
    • Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Toowoomba, Gold Coast

Length

  • 6 months

Additional Benefits

  • Become a part of Queensland’s active startup scene
  • Free coworking space for up to 4 team members
  • Perks from Hot DesQ partners such as Hynes Legal, Flight Centre Travel Group and Publicis
  • Landing support to help you settle in

Who Can Apply

  • Early-stage entrepreneurs and startups
  • Aussie expatriates who want to relocate their startup back home
  • Established startups looking to expand into the Asia-Pacific region
  • Proficient in spoken and written English

Selection Criteria

  • Background and level of experience
  • Startup community involvement and connections
  • References from entrepreneurs, startup sector, and customers
  • Stage of development and business traction of your startup or product
  • Clarity of your startup idea/business model and its relevance to the marketplace
  • Impact of your presence in Queensland

Application Process

  • Email to express your interest in registration
  • Written application
  • 1 ‒ 2 minute pitch video answering the following questions:
    • Who are you and your team and what experience do you have?
    • Why are you applying to Hot DesQ?
    • What’s your product or startup and what markets are you trying to capture?
    • What problems are you solving?
    • What value will you add to the Queensland startup community?
  • Judges may have questions for shortlisted applicants
  • Finalists will have a video interview with the judging panel

Conditions

  • Must transfer your base of operations to Queensland for at least 6 months
  • Must acquire an ABN (Australian Business Number) and GST (Goods and Services Tax)
  • At least one team member must be present in Queensland full-time
  • Mentor at least 2 local startups during your participation in the program
  • Contribute to the local startup ecosystem through activities such as:
    • Social media engagement or organising meetups
    • Mentoring at hackathons and sharing knowledge with other startups
    • Giving talks at a Queensland university
  • Complete monthly milestone reports
  • You will need to procure your own visa/s from the Australian government
  • Terms and Conditions

Follow-Up Funding

Website