Emma Grife
Head of Founders, Startmate
All companies 
Startmate
1 conversation across 1 show.
Meet the people behind the company.
Latest conversation · The Startup Retro
Square Peg's global shift, Linktree's 2023 & SA rocket launchesAbout Startmate
Startmate is a startup accelerator and early-stage investor for founders in Australia and New Zealand, based in Sydney. Since 2010 it has backed more than 350 startups, which it says have a combined portfolio value of $4.5 billion; 45 per cent of its portfolio companies are women-founded. Besides its accelerator, it runs programs including First Believers and a Student Founder Bootcamp. Niki Scevak, also a founder of Blackbird Ventures, founded Startmate.
- Sector
- Startup accelerator
- Business model
- Venture fund / accelerator
- Founded
- 2010
- Founders
- Niki Scevak
- Headquarters
- Sydney
- Offices
- Sydney
- Markets
- Australia, New Zealand
Sources: startmate.com.au, startmate.com
The people on Day One.
Hear from the team.
Milestones.
- Startmate founded as an ANZ startup acceleratorstartmate.com
- Shared A$4.1m with 5 Victorian acceleratorsstartupdaily.net
In conversation.
Moments from other conversations on the network where Startmate comes up.
“you've got Startmate's new continuity fund as well, which is a similar idea to this. It's not, I don't think it's an open fund like this one is, but the mentality of we want to back our high-performing assets, no questions asked”
“I remember Mick coming into the office at Colonizer and saying, hey, we've just started this thing, Startmate. You guys better come down and let's just talk to them about everything we know.”
“Startmate hadn't been running for a couple of years and they were able to persuade people that there was good deal flow there, that they had curated their own source of great deal flow”
“One thing we started to say at Startmate, you know, culture eats strategy for breakfast, right?”
Portfolio on Day One.
Companies Startmate has backed whose teams have been on the network.
Alumni on Day One.
People who worked at Startmate before, and what they're doing now.
James TynanWas: CEO, 2020Now: Square Peg
Kirstin HunterWas: Director & Accelerator MentorNow: Birchal
Kylie FrazerWas: MentorNow: Flying Fox Ventures
Lauren CapelinWas: PrincipalNow: Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Michael BatkoWas: CEO (joined as Head of Operations), 2018–2025Now: Hourglass AI
Mick LiubinskasWas: Co-founding investor & mentorNow: Climate Salad
Niki ScevakWas: Co-founder, 2010Now: Blackbird Ventures
Rachael NeumannWas: PartnerNow: Flying Fox VenturesMore companies on Day One.
Spot something wrong? Suggest a correctionUpdated 29 October 2026
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