WSU Launch Pad Accelerator

Launch Pad is a technology business incubator run by Western Sydney University, established in 2015 with the NSW Government and corporate partners, with centers in Parramatta and Penrith. It develops resilient founders who build sustainable, innovative businesses that meaningfully impact society and the community. It runs three startup accelerators. Pre-flight is a two-day, full-time pre-accelerator that takes founders from ideation to a value proposition statement and lean canvas, with no entry criteria and a $199 fee, free for Western students and staff. Ignition is a 15-week, part-time program, online and in person, that takes founders with a defined idea through problem and solution validation to a ready-to-build MVP. Booster is a monthly scaleup masterclass series covering growth, go-to-market, pricing, capital raising, and team building. Participants get mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs in residence, founder care, access to makerspace, VR/AR, and micro-factory facilities, and more than $200,000 in partner perks. The programs are open to anyone, not only Western students, and focus on technology startups, particularly in health, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, and sustainability.