Ideal for small business owners and entrepreneurs

Plus Eight Sprint is a six-week, skill-building and business growth program. It is exclusive and free for businesses owned or operated in Western Sydney, comprising of 14 local government areas. This program connects founders with a community of successful mentors, investors and advisors to help you take your business idea to the next level and provides the content and environment to grow your skills.

Applications have now closed for the 2023 Western Sydney Pre-Accelerator program.

WHAT WE OFFER

More than just your average pre-accelerator program

The Plus Eight Sprint program provides you with the connections, support and program content to help scale your startup.

Facilitated Sessions

Selected startups will enjoy weekly intensive masterclasses, running for 2 hours in the evening at the Western Sydney Startup Hub.

Weekly Assignments

You will receive weekly assignments to help you apply new found skills to real life business problems.

Coworking + Community

Throughout the program, you will have access to cowork at the Western Sydney Startup Hub, attend events and more.

Online Learning Platform

You will have access to an online LMS portal to submit your assignments and check upcoming curriculum.

Private Slack Channel

Enjoy access to an online chat support with the cohort, and connection to previous cohorts via Slack.

Final Pitch Event

At the end of the six weeks, you will pitch your business at our Final Showcase at the Western Sydney Startup Hub.

The support to help your business succeed.

Plus Eight provides tailored made programs for new business owners, meaning that it's all action and no fluff. This program supports you with the skills and action plan to achieve your vision.

Mentorship

We've sourced the most experienced business mentors, investors and advisors to guide you throughout Sprint. Each week new mentors will share their experience and wisdom, giving you the opportunity to learn from those that have been there and done it.

Actionable Content

Everything we cover through Plus Eight Sprint can be directly applied to your business and will have a noticeable, positive impact regardless of where you are at in your journey.

Peer-based learning

We believe some of the best opportunities to grow as a new business is by learning from other businesses going through a similar journey. Sprint provides lots of opportunities to connect and learn from other new businesses going through the program, and emphasises peer-based feedback and reflection.

Community & connection

It takes an entire village to raise a business. We believe being part of a strong community of like-minded business owners and advisors makes you a stronger entrepreneur and gives you the environment for your business to succeed.

Challenge yourself and your business.

Each Sprint session is divided into three sections: mentor presentations; working on your business; and weekly project reviews.

1. Expert presentations from experienced mentors

Our experienced panel of mentors draw on real life examples and provide practical takeaways that you can apply to your business through a workshop-style, interactive presentation that focuses on a new business skill area for that week.

2. Application of the content to your business

The majority of each Sprint session is spent working on your business around the weekly focus area with the support of mentors and other business owners. This includes hands-on activities and is a great opportunity to get feedback, learn from others and immediately apply the lessons to your idea.

3. Weekly projects to help push your business forward

Each week, you will be given a specific project to work on before the next Sprint session. These are always practical and aim to give your business a step-change improvement. At the start of each Sprint session, business owners share their progress and get feedback on the previous week's project work.

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The best, modern business approaches.

We draw on the very best contemporary approaches to build sustainable technology businesses, straight from the innovation capitals of the world.

Google design sprint

Developed by Google, design sprints is a proven model to test, iterate and improve your product in collaboration with your customers.

Lean Startup

The foundation for many modern startup approaches, the Lean Startup is a critical part of any new businesses toolkit.

Design thinking

Developed by Stanford and used by many of the worlds biggest brands, design thinking is an approach to developing products that your customers will love.

RUNSHEET

The best 6-weeks you've ever invested in.

Over the 6-week Sprint program you will have the opportunity to focus on your business through a practical curriculum of topics critical to any successful new business . By the end of the program you'll have a stronger business and be a stronger business owner.

Topics

What you'll work on

Week 1 - Wednesday May 24

How to build an enduring business

Business model development

Articulating your business model and how to make it sustainable
Developing your unique value proposition
Understanding the competitor landscape and how you plan on competing

Week 2 - Wednesday May 31

How to make a product your customers will love

Validation and customer testing

Using design thinking to deeply understand your customers needs, goals and motivations
Undertaking research to develop key insights on what will make customers love your product

Week 3 - Wednesday June 7

How to turn your idea into a reality

Product & prototyping

Defining design sprints to test your product proposition
Making your Minimum Lovable Product
Determining the right approach for developing your product

Week 4 - Wednesday June 14

How to make your business into a rocketship

Growth & marketing

Finding your first customer and building a loyal customer base
Understanding pirate metrics and defining your growth marketing strategies
Selecting your digital marketing toolkit

Week 5 - Wednesday June 21

How to stay sane while changing the world

Team, mindset & legal

Structuring your team and advisors
Understanding company incorporation and shareholder agreements
Maintaining the right new business mindset
Ensuring you cross your t's and dot your i's (legal and IP)

Week 6 - Wednesday June 28

How to keep going up and to the right

Fundraising & pitching

Selecting the right fundraising approach, timing and strategy
Developing your pitch ready to share your business with the world

celebration evening

From family members, to industry professionals, this is a chance for you to showcase your business and what you've been working on and where you're going.

PROGRAM PARTNERS

This program is made possible by...

Western Sydney
Pre-Accelerator Program

Plus Eight Sprint, is a six week pre-accelerator program designed for local Western Sydney founders to grow and scale their ideas.

Ideal for small business owners and entrepreneurs

More than just your average pre-accelerator program