August 9, 2024

UOW iAccelerate a finalist in the prestigious Asia-Pacific Triple E Awards

Awards recognise entrepreneurship excellence in higher education

The University of Wollongong’s (UOW) iAccelerate has been named as a finalist in the prestigious 2024 Asia-Pacific Triple E Awards.

The recognition highlights iAccelerate’s significant contributions to supporting entrepreneurship and innovation within the Illawarra region and beyond.

Since 2016, iAccelerate has been instrumental in supporting over 385 startup and scale-up companies, creating 1,085 new jobs, and injecting $132.5 million into the regional economy. iAccelerate residents have achieved $416.5 million in sales and investment.

iAccelerate is industry agnostic, providing entrepreneurs with all they need to be successful, including education programs, experts in residence, mentors, seed funding and incubation in a purpose-built facility.  Underpinned by a world class university, startups can also leverage UOW equipment, expertise and graduate workforce.

iAccelerate Director Dr Tamantha Stutchbury said these awards reflect iAccelerate’s dedication to making Illawarra a great place to start and grow a business.

“We are thrilled to be recognised as a finalist in the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Activators of the Year Asia-Pacific Awards,” Dr Stutchbury said.

“iAccelerate is the home of entrepreneurship for the University of Wollongong and across our region.  We are a lightning rod for innovation, providing a unique end-to-end offering that is a leader across the Asia-Pacific and globally. Our values of inclusivity, excellence, curiosity, empowerment underpin all we do.

“Central to our values is the belief that anyone can be an entrepreneur. We actively support underrepresented groups in entrepreneurship, with 52 per cent of companies having at least one active female founder. Regional entrepreneurs from across Australia, as well as First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse entrepreneurs are also supported through our programs.

“We are a small team that delivers a big impact. At its core, the iAccelerate team strives for and finds joy in the success of our entrepreneurs and startups.”

Some of the biggest success stories in knowledge translation at UOW have come through iAccelerate. For example, Critical Arc, which developed the SafeZone app, attracted $3 million in investment while expanding to university campuses globally. Another success is Sicona Battery Technologies, which spun out of UOW's materials science research and raised $22 million in Series A funding in 2023.

UOW Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research and Sustainable Futures) Professor David Currow said the Asia-Pacific Triple E Awards recognition was testament to the hard work and dedication of the iAccelerate team and the vibrant entrepreneurial community it has built.

“Since 2016, iAccelerate has been engaging academics, students and community members with its unique end-to-end offering of education programs and lively startup community. In the process it has become one of the largest and most established innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems in Australia, transforming lives and local economies in our region,” Professor Currow said.

“iAccelerate’s unique approach, including its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the development of new courses, has significantly shaped the entrepreneurial culture at UOW.”

The Triple E Awards are a global recognition of efforts towards the quest for entrepreneurship and engagement in higher education. The Awards aim to foster change in universities and to emphasize their role in their communities and ecosystems.

The 2024 Asia-Pacific Triple E Awards ceremony will be held from 2 to 4 September in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.