Australian businesses with international growth aspirations now have more opportunities to successfully start, pivot and grow thanks to a new Asia Pacific Market Exchange program delivered by Runway, the Australia-China Association of Scientists and Entrepreneurs (ACASE), and venture capital firm BMYG.
- Program participants will learn and apply proven techniques to find business opportunities, overcome barriers to growth, test emerging plans, strengthen their national and international networks, and get set to take their best ideas to market.
- Venture Capital firm BMYG will also work with promising participants to make them funding ready and help to secure capital for the successful execution of validated growth plans. BMYG are a successful venture and private equity business with more than $500M funds under management.
- For Migrants and Refugees living in Australia, there are a limited number of no cost places due to funding provided by the Federal Government; but these will fill quickly! Other applicants are also welcome but will be required to fund their own place in the program.
- Applications are now open!
‘Working together Runway, ACASE and BMYG will support businesses to successfully activate new and emerging growth opportunities in the Asia Pacific region’ said Nick Stanley, Founder and Chair of Runway.
‘BMYG brings capital to the Asia Pacific Market Exchange program and welcomes the opportunity to work closely with graduates ready to scale into Asian markets’ says Julius Wei, Co-founder and CIO of venture capital firm BMYG.
All participants will get ready for growth by completing the first stage of Runway’s Ready Set Grow (RSG) program, Get READY. Graduates that are ready for growth will then be invited to apply for one of two specialist streams:
- Businesses pursuing an Australia-market opportunity will be invited to participate in the second and third stage of Runway’s RSG program, Get SET and GROW!
- Businesses wanting to activate an Asia-market opportunity will be invited to participate in the ACASE Asia Market Sprint and Connect program.
- The top performers will be coached and supported by BMYG to access investor funding enabling implementation of their validated business opportunity.
‘This is a highly practical and applied program where you will work on your business in real time, delivered via online content presented in Open Learning and small facilitated group sessions via Zoom’ says Runway’s Managing Director, Linda Wong.
The Program moves businesses progressively through key stages of development, increasing chances of success by ensuring new opportunities are properly tested and validated before progressing on to the next stage – reducing risk, saving participants’ time and money, and getting them investment ready.
- Another key feature of the Asia Pacific Market Exchange program is the building of collaboration between participants operating in different markets so they can fully leverage one another’s capabilities for mutual gain.
‘Working together Asia Pacific business communities can create much more value than working alone’ said ACASE Chairman, Erjiang Fu.
‘Our partnership with Runway and BMYG to deliver the Market Exchange program brings the best capabilities of our organisations together to strengthen our entrepreneurial ecosystems and activate significant new business opportunities’ he continued.
The program brings Australia-market and Asia-market participants together at the beginning, middle and end point to build key relationships, cross-pollinate ideas, and activate ongoing collaboration strengthening the regions’ entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Feedback from recent Ready Set Grow (RSG) program participants includes:
- The biggest learning for me is how easily I can use this process with minimal cost and effort to really find and quickly test out new growth opportunities. I am grateful for going through the process – thank you. – Jamie-Lee
- It was a very valuable experience, and the skills development was excellent. To take away the tools I’ve learnt about and continue to use them in future to find and test growth opportunities is a great outcome. Sue O’Brien
- I found the program extremely valuable as it pushed me to look at my business through a new lens and find opportunities I previously had not looked at. Polly Gibson
Feedback from recent Asia Market Sprint and Connect participants includes:
- ACASE provided an important business and innovation link between Australia and China. China represents a huge opportunity for KERB’s ‘Smart Parking’ software solution, but entering the Chinese market is not easy! The Asia Market Sprint provided an important bridge for KERB into Nanjing-Pukou’s K-Pouch Accelerator Program with a reputable government-backed organisation. Rob – CEO of KERB
- The Asia Market Sprint is a great program to help startups who plan to land and launch in China. ACASE has extensive knowledge and experience in the local market and were able to assist in almost every aspect of the business along the way, which is critical for companies who have no or limited exposure to the China market. Cindy – CEO of Equiprise
To learn more, you are encouraged to attend an online information session before making your application; and download the program outline here.
- Runway’s delivery of this program has been made possible by funding support from The Australian Government’s New and Existing Entrepreneurs’ Program.
How do I apply?
If you are thinking about applying to participate, you are encouraged to first review the program outline and attend an online information session.
- Applications now being accepted!
Below are the course dates you can currently apply for:
- February 2022: 7,9,11,15 and 21 February from 10am to 12pm
- April 2022: 4,6,8,12 and 14 April from 10am to 12pm
- June 2022: 6,8,10,14 and 16 June from 10am to 12pm
- August 2022: 1,3,5,9 and 11 August from 10am to 12pm
- October 2022: 3,5,7,11 and 13 from 10am to 12pm
- December 2022: 5,7,9,13 and 15 December from 10am to 12pm
- February 2023: 6,8,10,14 and 16 February from 10am to 12pm
- April 2023: 17,19,21,25 and 27 April from 10am to 12pm
- June 2023: 5,7,9,13 and 15 June from 10am to 12pm
- August 2023: 31 July, 2,4,8 and 10 August from 10am to 12pm
Download the program outline for more details on course and session content, the time commitment involved, and specific session times you will need to attend.
All participants will enter the first stage of Runway’s RSG program, Get READY. When completed successfully, graduates will become eligible to apply for a place in Stream A (Get SET and GROW!) or Stream B (Asia Market Sprint).
A limited number of fully-funded places are available for Migrants and Refugees living in Australia; be quick to secure your place. Other applicants are also welcome but will be required to fund their own place in the program.
Runway and ACASE will assess applications on their merit against the key selection criteria presented in the application form and award funded places to those that are successful in order of the date they are received. For more information, please contact hello@runwayhq.co or hello@acase.org.au