LATEST CIVVIC CHALLENGES UNVEILED FOR VICTORIAN STARTUPS

 

LaunchVic, Victoria’s startup agency, today unveiled new opportunities for Victorian startups to access valuable government procurement contracts through its CivVic Labs GovTech Accelerator program.

 

The program’s third round of challenges will give local startups the chance to secure up to $185k each to build a product, work with a customer and help solve some of Victoria’s most pressing issues.

 

Six new government challenges will unlock up to $1.1 million for the Victorian Startup Ecosystem at an important time, as many startups navigate the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on their business.

The challenges include:

• Department of Health and Human Services - How can we improve infection prevention and management in Victoria?
• WorkSafe Victoria - How might we support gig-economy workers in adopting a safe approach to work?
• Study Melbourne - How can we strengthen social and community connections for international students studying and living in Victoria?
• Aboriginal Victoria - How can we use innovative technology to create a living, breathing understanding of Aboriginal culture?
• Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning + Sustainability Victoria - How might we reduce food waste from businesses in Victoria?
• Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning - How can we understand liveability through the voice of citzens and measure Victoria’s progress toward a sustainable future?

 

LaunchVic CEO, Dr Kate Cornick said groups like Startup Genome and the Australian Innovation Ecosystem Council have identified connecting startups with government procurement as one way to support the sector through the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

 

“LaunchVic through CivVic Labs is leading the way in GovTech, by driving a practical, results-driven solution for startups to connect with a trusted customer such as the government,” Dr Cornick said.

CheerMe founder Eric Fitzgerald said the CivVic Labs program provided a superb framework to build a robust company and springboard to becoming operational.

 

“The benefit of being expertly guided by coaches and mentors, alongside startups on the same journey pushes you to be the best you can be.”

“There is the incredible opportunity to work directly with government departments to deliver creative and innovative solutions that make a real difference in people’s lives.” 

 

LaunchVic established the CivVic Labs program to provide startups with access to government procurement contracts. The program is a partnership with the Victorian Government's Public Sector Innovation Fund.

This is the third round of the program and startups are invited to apply at civvic.launchvic.org