Big ticket items including startup year for entrepreneurs pass through parliament
16 March 2023The Australian Technology Network of Universities (ATN) says the introduction of the Startup Year legislation is a red-letter day for young Australians who want to pursue their dreams and make their mark in business.
Media Release – ATN Universities will lead the way with Startup Year program
THURSDAY 9 MARCH 2023
The Australian Technology Network of Universities (ATN) says the introduction of the Startup Year legislation is a red-letter day for young Australians who want to pursue their dreams and make their mark in business.
Startup Year is among several big-ticket Higher Education items which have now passed through parliament. ATN Universities will play a lead role in helping the next generation of entrepreneurs and job creators bring their ideas to life.
Startup Year will deliver 2000 HELP-style loans and provide graduates and businesses with a year-long opportunity to access mentoring at our university campuses, to learn from academic experts, access world-class facilities, and test new business ideas.
ATN Executive Director, Mr Luke Sheehy, said Australia’s world-class income contingent loan scheme, HELP, is one of Australia’s greatest policy innovations having served us well for more than 30 years and has played a direct role in expanding access to higher education without the barrier of up-front costs.
“I particularly want to extend congratulations to the Federal Government and Education Minister, Jason Clare, and to Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Ed Husic, for their work in this area. The Startup Year program rightly recognises that Australia’s universities play a critical role in driving new ideas, innovation and opportunity in the Australian economy,” he said.
“As Australia’s leading university grouping for industry collaboration, innovation and enterprise, our universities, students and graduates are uniquely placed to take advantage and be a leader of the Government’s Startup Year program.”
ATN Universities currently supports student entrepreneurs, and hosts hundreds of start-ups and micro-businesses at our campuses and through Curtin Accelerate, Deakin ManuFutures, The University of Newcastle’s Integrated Innovation Network, RMIT Activator, UniSA Venture Catalyst and UTS Startups.
The 2,000 HELP loans allocated each year will allow final-year undergraduate students and current post-graduate students to participate in a higher education-based incubator or accelerator program.
Media contact (not for publication)
Frank Coletta (Manager, Media and Communications) m: 0468 987 295 e: frank.coletta@atn.edu.au
