Business accelerator
AN ACU CO-Lab PROGRAM
Eight weeks. Practical skills. Real traction.
An online workshop series helping ACU students, staff, alumni and the wider community build modern business capability—from idea to growth—with a pathway into the ACU Business Incubator Award.
Delivered by Disruptors Co.
Accelerating growth
Who is this program for?
ACU community: Students, staff and alumni (fee-free).
Business Founders: Founders & small business owners in the wider community wanting practical tools and a clear path to action (ticketed).
Outcomes & impact
What is the impact and what is the outcome?
Learn market and customer fundamentals, growth, innovation, AI for business, pitching and funding—all in plain English, applied to your idea.
Pitch to win the $10,000 Business Incubator Award
Attend three or more workshops and you’re eligible to enter the ACU Business Award. Submit a ≤3-minute video pitch for a chance to win $10,000 and promotion via ACU Co-Lab’s ecosystem. Entries close 11:59pm AEDT, Sunday 2 November 2025.
Judging criteria (high-level): presentation (20 pts), pitch content (70 pts: problem/solution, innovation, market, GTM, competition, model, capability), audio/video (10 pts).
What is in the program?
The Changing Shape of Business
Trends in business, new business segments, changes to consumer behaviour, emerging opportunities for growth.
Date: Wednesday, 27 August 2025, 4-6pm
Special guest: Inventor, writer, entrepreneur, educator and broadcaster, Mark Pesce.
Growth Hacking
This session explores achieving growth in a fragmented business landscape, building automated marketing flows and using tools to grow your reputation.
Date: Wednesday, 17 September 2025, 4-6pm
Special guest: Innovator, Chairperson and CEO of Trinity Conulting, AJ James.
Pitching Like a Pro
This session will look at developing winning pitches for customers, partners and funding. We'll aslo look at creating effective video pitches for competitions
Date: Wednesday, 8 October 2025, 4-6pm
Special guest: Chief Play Officer, facilitator and speaker, Julie Trell.
Understanding Customers
Do you really know who your customers are? This session will look at customer personas, journey mapping and improving customer experiences.
Date: Wednesday, 3 September 2025, 4-6pm
Special guest: Values-led B2B commercial leader, Meenakshi Dhull.
Innovation
Business resilience through innvoation, innovating around existing buisnesses and developing products in response to business problems.
Date: Wednesday, 24 September 2025, 4-6pm
Special guest: Enterprise Business Partner, ACU, Melinda Hunt.
Funding for Growth
In this session we will look at what it takes to make your business funding-ready. We'll explore funding options and look to articulate your business value proposition.
Date: Wednesday, 15 October 2025, 4-6pm
Special guest: Business woman and technology entrepreneur, Izzy Whitelock.
Competitors and How to Beat Them
This session will look at finding and understanding competitors, differentiation strategies and identifying blue oceans with fewer competitors.
Date: Wednesday, 10 September 2025, 4-6pm
Special guest: Epic Execution author, David Kenney.
AI and Business
How AI is affecting business, available tools and best practices, prompt engineering for business applications.
Date: Wednesday, 1 October 2025, 4-6pm
Special guest: Innovation advisor, digital strategist and entrepreneur, Craig Thomler.
Program at a glance
How this program works – and the timeline commitment
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Format: Live, national livestream workshops (online)
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Duration: 8 weeks · Wednesdays 4–6pm (AEST → AEDT in October)
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Tickets (community): Early bird $45/workshop, standard $65/workshop, $320 full bundle.
