Breakthrough Victoria Fellowship Program

The Breakthrough Victoria Fellowship Program is a pioneering initiative designed to ignite research entrepreneurship across Victoria. This innovative program addresses critical market gaps and aims to cultivate the next generation of startup founders from Victorian universities. The program invests up to $150,000 per startup, with fellows receiving a salary between $60,000 and $90,000 from the invested capital, ensuring financial stability during their entrepreneurial journey. The remaining funds support additional hiring or product development. Each startup must focus on commercialising research conducted by the founders or associated university professors. The fellowship program is part of a $7.5 million, multi-year initiative aimed at creating at least 50 jobs and nurturing entrepreneurial talent. Fellows spend the first month embedded in an affiliated university's investment team, commercialisation team, or entrepreneurship program to accelerate skill development as founders. The program runs for 12 to 18 months and operates on a cohort basis to promote peer learning and network support.