CORE START

Give your business a competitive advantage with CORE Start - the 12 week entrepreneurial development & mentoring program focused on growing energy & mining businesses and their founders.

Applications for CORE Start 2024 have now closed.

CORE Start will run again in 2025. Applications will formally open in 2025.

CORE START IS SPONSORED BY

A FREE 12 week program run by energy and mining industry professionals designed to help fast track and refine your business offering. CORE Start gives you the skills to build a resilient business capable of achieving cut-through within the energy and mining industry.

What you’ll learn:

  • Pathways to effectively scale your business

  • Business model fit and strategies for sales success

  • Identifying the right solution to the right problem

  • Product & Market fit — does my product solve the problem

What’s included:

  • FREE access to co-working at Perth, Adelaide & Newman

  • 4 x 1:1 mentoring sessions with a business advisor

  • Group mentoring sessions


CORE provides a unique incubator of ideas for the resources and energy sector. Collaborating and transferring knowledge and skills are part of the building blocks of CORE which is why NERA has been such a passionate supporter.
— Miranda Taylor, CEO, NERA, CORE Start Partner

Program overview:

12 Weeks
The program runs for 12 consecutive weeks

Mentor Matching 
You will be matched with an industry-leading mentor

Advisory Sessions
Get one-on-one deep dive advisory sessions with your mentor

Business Masterclasses
In-depth sessions with experts on building and scaling businesses

Marketing
Take part in marketing and promotional opportunities

Idea Validation
Work to validate your ideas and assumptions

MVP
Hone your minimal viable product with expert feedback

Business Plan
Develop your business plan and roadmap to success

Pitch Training
Learn to nail your elevator pitch with communications experts and up your skills to the test at our Pitch Night.


Natasha Leppard, Operations Manager, Soft Rigging Solutions

“During my first group session I struggled to even describe our products; I felt awkward and uncomfortable. Now I’m able to pitch our products clearly, concisely, and with confidence. I cannot recommend this program enough. ”

Meet the 2024 Mentors

ANDREW McCULLOCH

Exploration Futurist | Advisor | Director, Economical Energy

Nick Saunders

CEO - Grow Impact & Managing Director - Opaxe

Jasmin Ward

Innovation & Strategy Facilitator | Entrepreneur

 

Matt Ainsworth

Founder Tech Bridge Studio | Mentor

Lachlan Wilson

Director, Lachwil

Peter Clark

Director - StartupWA & Projects Lead, METS Ignited

 

Meet the 2024 Business Leaders

 

Rahul Kumar

Director - Allied Legal

ROY SMITH

State Manager, WA, SA & NT - Radium Capital

SCOTT VILé

Principal - Wrays Intellectual Property

Dave Lawie

Chief Geoscientist & Chief Technologist - IMDEX

 

Peta Chirgwin, Chamelon Mettle Group

“I really appreciated the use of the space in the core office through the program, working with other participants ad the activities we completed were well worth my time and the program was not too onerous in that it impacted my work. I used my time to validate my idea and have since pivoted from my initial idea.”

CORE START ALUMNI

Brenton Welford, SafeAI

“We’re a new business in Australia with international support. There is a wealth of knowledge in the industry at CORE, they know what’s going on in the mining world and what people are doing, they’re well-connected, and that has been very helpful.”


How to apply

To be eligible for CORE Start you must:

  • Have an Australian business number

  • Be developing or have developed your own unique technology, product, or service that has the potential to enhance productivity and improve efficiency in the energy resources supply chain

  • Have been developing this technology for less than 5 years

  • Be working to grow your business to a global market

  • Support CORE's culture of open innovation and collaboration

Along with meeting the eligibility requirements, to apply you will also need the following prepared:

  • Overview of your current business and team

  • Outline or pitch of technology and it’s benefits

  • Description of the biggest challenge you are facing

  • Your growth potential or addressable market

  • What you would like to achieve through CORE Start

  • What you can bring to the CORE Start Community

*Startups based in Western Australia will have full time access to CORE Innovation Hub co-working in the Perth CBD.


PREVIOUS Program Partners

 

FAQs

 

Is there a cost involved?

No, CORE Start is completely FREE! There is no cost involved if you are selected to take part in the CORE Start Program.


How long does the CORE Start program run for?

Core Start is a three-month or 12-week residency program that will include weekly mentoring sessions, monthly business development sessions and other professional development activities.


Where is the program run?

Core Innovation currently has two physical hubs, one in Perth and one in Adelaide. Participants in those cities will be able to connect with mentors and other professionals face-to-face. We strongly encourage participants from all over the country to apply. Course work will be undertaken remotely and online for those participants. 


I’m not located in Perth or Adelaide, can I still take part in CORE Start?

Absolutely! We have worked with founders across all major cities and in remote locations as well. All sessions can be completed online and being a tailored program, you can set your own schedule for the mentoring and advisory component and all relevant course work. The only set schedule will be the masterclasses, which you will be advised of well ahead of time. 


How many people are selected to go through CORE Start?

To maximize the effectiveness of the course and ensure participants and mentors have ample time to connect, we cap participant numbers at 8 for each round.


Help! I’m not sure if CORE Start is for me.

Great! We can help with that! Get in touch with our National Innovation Hub Manager, Renee. She will help direct your inquiry and answer any further questions you might have.


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