Student to Startup
Student to Startup is an event dedicated to the founders who didn't wait — students who chose to build something while navigating the demands of university life, and lived to tell the tale.
Three University of Newcastle student founders will share their journeys in 10-minute storytelling sessions: how they identified an opportunity worth pursuing, what it took to move from idea to action, and how they balanced the realities of entrepreneurship with the pressures of study. They'll speak openly about uncertainty, resourcefulness and the question every student founder eventually faces — what comes next?
The event closes with networking designed to spark meaningful connections between founders, collaborators and future team members.
For students, graduates and anyone interested in what early-stage entrepreneurship looks like from the inside.
Agenda:
- Hear from three Newcastle student founders in short presentations
- Learn from them in a panel discussion
- Networking
* Part of a series of special events throughout 2026 honouring a decade of supporting founders and innovation in the Hunter and Central Coast regions.
🚀 Why I2N?
The University of Newcastle's Integrated Innovation Network (I2N) is Australia's #1 Most Recommended Accelerator and Incubator by Startup Muster, 2025 - the country's biggest startup survey. By harnessing The Hunter and Central Coast regions' unique resources and innovation ecosystem, I2N empowers the most promising innovators and entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into high-impact, sustainable global businesses. Through our enterprise skill-building programs and dedicated spaces, I2N is creating the foundation for startups to thrive and driving economic diversity across our region.
