La Trobe University start-ups will have unique access to potential investors, industry mentors and strategic partners in the United States, Europe and Asia through an Australia-first agreement with Silicon Valley-based innovation platform Plug and Play.
As the University enhances its support for translating research into commercial reality, the agreement will enable three start-ups a year to gain valuable support from Plug and Play’s GOAL program to drive business growth opportunities.
The three-year agreement will expose start-ups to strategic opportunities to connect with potential partners and investors and learn from experienced executives and domain experts, including support with business development, fundraising, mentoring, and business coaching.
La Trobe University is the first Australian university to sign with Plug and Play and follows in the footsteps of major US institutions including University of Washington and Indiana University.
La Trobe Vice-Chancellor Professor Theo Farrell said the University’s world-class researchers are at the forefront of innovation and that this agreement will enable them to benefit from expert business support to take their discovery out of the lab and into the world.
“Plug and Play gives La Trobe entrepreneurs direct access to world-leading expertise and partnership opportunities that can accelerate the journey from pioneering science to real commercial impact,” Professor Farrell said.
Professor Farrell said access to Plug and Play will also augment La Trobe’s existing programs to support researchers and industry partnerships, including the La Trobe Eagle Fund, a joint initiative with Breakthrough Victoria to support start-ups with seed funding.
Elina Gorji, Plug and Play’s Director, Global Overseas Acceleration & Learning (GOAL), said they were excited to launch this partnership with La Trobe University and to welcome Australian startups to its accelerator program for the first time.
“Having worked with startups from more than 15 countries, we see tremendous value in building strong bridges between innovation ecosystems. This collaboration marks an important step in connecting Australia’s entrepreneurial talent with the opportunities, capital, and network of Silicon Valley."
Robert Grey, Director, Sustainable Future, said Australia produces world-class startups with deep technical talent and a strong bias toward practical, customer-led innovation, but the local market can be challenging for rapid scale.
"This partnership gives La Trobe founders a faster path to market-fit in new regions by plugging into our globally connected ecosystem of corporates, investors, and domain experts across the US, Europe, and Asia.”
The partnership sits within La Trobe's Eagleworks Innovation Centre, officially launching on Thursday 19 March, which will bring together researchers, industry, startups, students and the broader community to turn ideas into action.
From pre-accelerator programs and innovation sprints to commercialisation advice and funding support, Eagleworks provides the infrastructure, expertise, and networks innovators need to thrive.
In addition, the La Trobe Eagle Fund has been instrumental in accelerating the commercialisation of La Trobe’s intellectual property since it was launched in 2025. The $18 million pre-seed investment initiative provides the crucial early-stage capital that researchers and startups need to thrive, strengthening La Trobe’s contribution to Victoria’s vibrant innovation ecosystem.
La Trobe also offers a 12-week Pre-Accelerator Program called LaunchPad for emerging and aspiring founders with technology-led startup ideas and the ambition to turn them into scalable ventures.
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