About this programme
The Diversity Pre-Accelerator Program is a NSW Government initiative run by Investment NSW to widen who gets into the state's startup pipeline. It funds training and mentoring for founders from groups that are under-represented in the innovation ecosystem, delivered not by government directly but through six community and university partner organisations, each running its own program for a specific founder group.
The program sits under the NSW Innovation Blueprint 2035 and is aimed at early-stage founders who need help refining an idea, building foundational business skills, and getting ready for a mainstream accelerator or investment conversation, rather than at businesses that are already scaling.
Six delivery partners run the program: University of Newcastle's Integrated Innovation Network (I2N) for women founders across NSW, with two-stage programming and showcase events; UNSW Founders for women and culturally diverse health innovators in Greater Western Sydney and regional NSW; Barayamal, an Indigenous-led organisation, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander founders, with wrap-around support and micro-grants; Catalysr for migrant and refugee entrepreneurs; First Nations Economics for First Nations women; and Remarkable (the innovation arm of Cerebral Palsy Alliance), running its 'Launcher' pre-accelerator for founders with disability.
The program sits alongside Investment NSW's wider grants and programs listing; the official page does not publish a total funding figure, a program launch date, or expected participant numbers, so those specifics aren't reproduced here.
How it works
There is no single intake or application form: each delivery partner runs its own cohort, on its own timeline, with its own eligibility screen and its own mix of workshops, coaching and mentoring.
Two of the six partners' program lengths are confirmed on the official page: Catalysr runs an eight-week ideation fellowship followed by a twelve-week accelerator; Remarkable runs a twelve-week 'Launcher' pre-accelerator. I2N is described as running 'two-stage programming'; the official page does not give exact week counts for I2N, UNSW Founders or First Nations Economics.
The program is a pre-accelerator, not a grant: it is training, coaching and network access rather than direct cash funding to a business, though Barayamal's stream is described as including wrap-around support with micro-grants alongside the pre-accelerator curriculum.
Who can apply
Eligibility is set by the delivery partner running each specific stream, and each targets a different founder group: women founders (I2N, statewide); women and culturally diverse health innovators in Greater Western Sydney and regional NSW (UNSW Founders); Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander founders (Barayamal); migrant and refugee entrepreneurs (Catalysr); First Nations women (First Nations Economics); and founders with disability (Remarkable).
The official NSW Government program page does not publish detailed eligibility criteria (business stage, revenue thresholds, incorporation status) beyond the founder-group targeting above — those specifics sit on each delivery partner's own program page.
How to apply
- Identify the delivery partner whose founder group matches you, from the program page at nsw.gov.au.
- Go to that delivery partner's own program page to see its current intake, cost and how to register — I2N, UNSW Founders, Barayamal, Catalysr, First Nations Economics, or Remarkable's 'Launcher' program.
- The official NSW program page does not itself take applications or publish a shared deadline; registration happens directly with the delivery partner, whose own site sets cohort dates and process.
Frequently asked
Is the Diversity Pre-Accelerator Program a grant?
No. It funds training, mentoring and coaching delivered by six partner organisations, not a cash grant paid directly to a business. One partner, Barayamal, does describe its version as including wrap-around support with micro-grants, but the program overall is a pre-accelerator, not a grant scheme.
Who runs the program?
Investment NSW oversees the Diversity Pre-Accelerator Program, but delivery is contracted out to six partner organisations, each running its own stream for a different founder group: University of Newcastle (I2N), UNSW Founders, Barayamal, Catalysr, First Nations Economics, and Remarkable.
Do I apply through the NSW Government website?
No. The nsw.gov.au page describes the program and links out to each delivery partner; applications, cohort dates and eligibility screening are handled on the delivery partner's own site, not on a shared NSW Government form.
How long does the program run?
Length varies by delivery partner. The official page confirms two: Catalysr runs an eight-week ideation fellowship followed by a twelve-week accelerator, and Remarkable runs a twelve-week 'Launcher' pre-accelerator. I2N is described as running two-stage programming; exact week counts for I2N, UNSW Founders and First Nations Economics aren't published on the official page.
What is the total funding behind the program, and how many founders will it support?
The official NSW Government program page doesn't publish a total funding figure, a launch date, or expected participant numbers for the Diversity Pre-Accelerator Program — check the page directly or ask the relevant delivery partner for current figures.
What if I don't fit any of the six founder groups the delivery partners target?
The official program materials don't describe a general-intake stream outside the six targeted groups (women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander founders, people with disability, culturally and linguistically diverse founders, regional entrepreneurs, and migrant/refugee entrepreneurs); a founder outside those groups would need to look at Investment NSW's broader grants and programs listing.
Reviewed 2026-08-16. Programmes change — confirm current eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private consultancy and is not affiliated with any government authority.