Student entrepreneurship
The University of Sydney enables students to engage in interdisciplinary innovation activities and programs, equipping them with the skills needed to accelerate their ideas, career, or research.
Sydney Innovation Network - An introduction
Innovation and entrepreneurship
The Innovation Hub
The Innovation Hub supports entrepreneurship and innovation at The University of Sydney by providing opportunities for all students to learn about innovative processes and gain critical thinking and design skills required for thriving in the future workforce.
Through online and in-person events, the Innovation Hub provides students with the opportunity to connect with a diverse, likeminded community, skilled in creative thinking and innovation.
Whether students want to work with an industry partner on a project for credit, prototype a product or accelerate their start-up idea, the Innovation Hub provides them with information and support.
Innovation Hub events
The Student Innovation Awards are a fantastic opportunity for University of Sydney students to celebrate, and receive support for, their innovative solutions to real-world problems.
See the previous winners and find out more about the Awards.
The Sydney Innovation Festival is an annual event that invites the best innovators and thought leaders to discuss the latest insights in the Sydney innovation ecosystem.
See the recorded previous panel sessions.
The Regionate Challenge is designed to offer regional and remote high-school students the opportunity to participate in an online competition that develops their understanding of creativity, teamwork, and innovation.
Industry Connect is an opportunity for second-year students to learn design-thinking methodology from experts, meet like-minded students and network with senior professionals.
Programs & Resources
INCUBATE is the multi award-winning startup program that promotes entrepreneurship within the University of Sydney community, with multiple programs supporting people at any stage of their entrepreneurship journey.
Generate ideas and early-stage startup skills in the Proto and ProtoX workshops or apply for the next award-winning INCUBATE Accelerator program, which launches startups into the ecosystem with industry mentoring, connections, and seed funding. Find out more at INCUBATE’s website.
The Genesis program supports the most promising existing startups through mentoring from experts, assistance with media exposure, and a final award of $25,000.
Genesis runs each semester and is open to any startup that has at least one founder that is a University of Sydney staff, student, or alumni. Find out more about the program.
An innovative and supportive space for students to connect, learn and share technology innovations for the classroom or research lab throughout semester. TechLab caters to student prototyping needs with 3D printers and virtual reality technology and can provide expert advice on software and coding challenges, robotics and artificial intelligence, as well as many other tech topics. Find out more about TechLab on their Facebook page.
The Sydney Knowledge Hub is a coworking space for innovative startups, non-profits, and corporates seeking to collaborate with the researchers, students, and facilities at the University of Sydney. Find out more about the Sydney Knowledge Hub.
Technology-driven, creative play-spaces that provide you with the opportunity to collaborate, design and create interesting things using new technologies, such as 3D printing, CNC carving, audio and video studios and virtual reality. Find out more about the University Technology Spaces.
Curricular Programs
Industry and Community Project Units give our senior undergraduate students the opportunity to engage with major industry partners and find innovative solutions to real world problems. Students work in interdisciplinary groups in collaboration with industry professionals to research, analyse and present solutions to genuine business problems.
These units are available to eligible undergraduate students from a range of disciplines. They are offered as semester-long projects and in intensive mode based in Australia or globally. Find out more about our Industry and Community Project Units (ICPUs).
Inventing the Future is an ambitious postgraduate accelerator that addresses real-world problems and teaches students the process of deep tech innovation – from ideation to prototyping and commercialisation. Postgraduates work together in interdisciplinary teams to explore challenges and develop specific solutions. One such team is BioScout, who in 2021 won the NSW Physical Sciences Fund for their platform that tracks the spread of disease using air sampling, mapping and data analytics. See the Unit of Study information or email the Course Coordinator Maryanne Large at maryanne.large@sydney.edu.au
Innovation and entrepreneurship knowledge and skills are critical to thriving in our complex and dynamic global political economy while also making meaningful advances towards achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The new multidisciplinary Major in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, developed by the Business School and offered in 2022, presents undergraduate students from across the University with a range of study pathways tailored to different interests, including technological innovation, social entrepreneurship, digital disruption, and sustainability-focused innovation and entrepreneurship.
With units of study drawn from diverse subject areas (Business; Arts and Social Sciences; Engineering; Science; Architecture, Design and Planning; and Music) and an emphasis on experiential, project-based learning, students enrolled in the Major gain practical skills and experience to launch new for-profit and social ventures and to lead innovation projects in private, public or not-for-profit organisations. For more information, please contact the Discipline of Strategy, Innovation & Entrepreneurship in the Business School: sie.deo@sydney.edu.au.
Launched in Semester 1, 2024, Startup Year is designed for fourth-year students (Advanced Studies) to build innovation and entrepreneurship skills. This program supports both for-profit ventures and social innovation, preparing students for entrepreneurial careers.
Students will complete 48 credit points focused on entrepreneurship, including practical skills and insights from core units, and a hands-on startup project through the INCUBATE Accelerator Program. This immersive experience offers mentorship, pitching opportunities, and access to a network of investors.
