Title: Accelerator Application Hacks, with Startmate’s Sam Monkhouse
Session context
- Format: Behind-the-scenes masterclass + live Q&A with application examples
- Speaker: Sam Monkhouse, Investments Associate at Startmate (6 months tenure)
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelmonkhouse/
- Timing: 2 weeks before application review begins
- Special access: Insider view of selection process, real application examples
- Context: Small group session (higher interactivity)
Sam’s background
Personal: Margaret River → Perth → Melbourne (Richmond), marathon runner (Sydney + Melbourne) Role: Coordinates accelerator selection, works with Ben Simai, facilitates First Believers program Philosophy: Help founders submit their best possible application
Selection process revealed
The numbers
- Community reviewers: 200+ experts (mostly First Believers alumni)
- Review hours: 800 hours over 10 days
- Per application: Reviewed at least 7 times, over 1 hour total
- Funnel: Hundreds → Top 200 (closer attention) → Top 50-60 (interviews) → 10-16 (accepted)
The scoring system
Selector evaluation scale:
- +5: Hell yes (encourage interview)
- +2: Yes
- -2: No
- -5: Hell no
Process: After 7-15 reviews per company → ranked → top 200 get deeper review (not final)
What selectors look for
Primary focus: Evidence of spikes (founder, progress, invention, 10x, vision) Selector diversity: Different expertise levels and industries Key insight: Make it digestible for all types of reviewers
Application structure breakdown
Critical sections (focus here)
- Team section - Most important at early stage
- Progress section - Demonstrates momentum
Secondary sections
- Company details: Name, industry, one-liner (test with others)
- Equity: Not overly important, just cap table context
- Idea: 90-second video (don’t overthink)
Key application questions deep-dive
Team section (critical)
Question 1: “Why are you the right team to solve this problem?” Henry’s example (Promo Sync - trade promotions): “Led the turnaround of a $100M business case at Nestle to deliver 12% sales growth in one year… working with huge Australian and international clients” → Clear connection between experience and problem being solved
Question 2: “Most impressive thing each co-founder has previously built (other than current company)” Remy’s example (On The House Group - period products): “Built a niche marketing agency, pioneering street interviews to generate over 550 million views” → Shows building track record, relevant skills (social/organic growth)
The 90-second video
What to cover:
- What your company does
- Why you’re the right team
- Problem you’re solving
- Traction to date
Remy’s video structure (On The House Group):
- Hook: “World’s first free period product paid for by advertising”
- Problem: Period poverty statistics
- Solution: Smart dispensers with advertising
- Authority: Midwife → marketing background, saw advertising waste
- Traction: Global investor, $600K pipeline, venues locked in
Key insights:
- Authenticity over production quality
- Henry filmed on take 3, got accepted
- Shows passion and personal connection
Company section questions
“How is your company addressing the problem?” “How do you know customers need what you’re making?”
- Be specific about customer validation
- Include concrete evidence, not assumptions
Competition question:
- Be honest - better to acknowledge competitors and explain differentiation
- “No competition” usually means don’t understand market
- With AI rise, almost every company has competitors/adjacencies
Vision (10-year question):
- Be as ambitious as possible
- Can include 5-year + 10-year vision given AI pace
- Focus on big vision, not literal timeframe
Progress section (critical)
Sam’s key advice:
- Add timeframes everywhere - “10,000 users” vs “10,000 users between July-October”
- Use specific numbers - not adjectives
- Multiple traction types - doesn’t have to be revenue (interviews, users, partnerships)
- Ask yourself: What can I achieve in next 2 weeks to strengthen this section?
Remy’s progress example (structured timeline):
- 2022: Idea stage, customer research, manufacturer testing
- Mid-2023: MVP completed
- Sep 2023-Jan 2024: Hired team, revised model, found customers
- Jan 2024: Confirmed pilot venues, secured angel funding
- Current: 12 brands in pipeline, $500K+ potential deal value
Key insight: Made significant progress before even installing first dispenser
The spike framework (reminder)
1. Founder (most important)
- Ambitious, resourceful, hacky, resilient
- Can attract great talent
- Company will pivot, but founders remain constant
2. Progress
- Things moving really fast
- Timeframes crucial for demonstrating speed
- Multiple ways to show progress beyond revenue
3. Invention
- Brand new technology (rare but powerful)
4. 10x better
- 10x faster, easier, cheaper than alternatives
- Must be clear in application
5. Vision
- Compelling future vision different from everyone else’s expectations
- Ambitious 10-year outlook
Application wins and mistakes
Easy wins
- Triple-check all links - pitch video, demo video must work without login
- Demo video: Record Loom walkthrough vs. sending to login-required site
- Be authentic in video and writing
- Avoid industry jargon - make it simple for all reviewers
- Include timeframes for all traction metrics
- Use numbers for everything measurable
- Be clear and concise - selectors review 50-100+ applications
Common mistakes
- Inaccessible links - frustrates selectors, reduces review count
- Founder info missing - missed opportunity to show why you’re the one
- Overly complex explanations - if you can’t explain simply, you don’t understand it
- Missing timeframes - “Was this progress made in months or years?”
- Too many words - be concise
Real application examples
Henry’s video (Promo Sync)
Opening: “I’m solving a global billion-dollar problem. No, I’m not talking about coffee meetup apps, but just as hot as your morning latte…” Structure: Problem → solution → authority → traction Authenticity: Started awkward, found groove (wife made him re-film boring first take) Traction: “In 8 weeks at Launch Club, spoke to 20+ industry leaders, agreed to build pilots for 3 customers including $20B company”
Remy’s application insights
Timeline approach: Clear progression from idea → MVP → team → customers → traction Specificity: “$600K pipeline deals” not “significant pipeline” Before-product traction: Proved you can make progress before having full product
Special considerations
International markets
Hassan’s question: Customers in Africa, founder in Australia Answer: Absolutely fine - just need some connection to Australia/NZ
Previous applicants
Timothy’s situation: Applied before, got rejected, much stronger now Advantage: Selectors can see previous application → shows trajectory and growth Special question: “What’s changed since last application?” - great opportunity to highlight progress
Pre-revenue/pre-launch companies
Ian’s concern: Still coding, no functional product yet Reality: Last cohort included company that started working on business within 2 weeks of application Alternative traction: Customer interviews, validation, personal building track record
Solo technical founders
Daniel’s question: How to balance building vs. customer development Advice: Mix of both - build alongside customers, bring learnings back to product Advantage: Can build fast, first hire doesn’t need to be technical
Validation quality
What good validation looks like
- Customer stories over just numbers
- Qualitative testimonials about problem severity
- Quantified pain points: “HR managers spend 10 manual hours/week on X”
- ROI implications: If you cut 10 hours to 10 minutes, that’s compelling
B2B validation
Juan’s situation: Meeting with big company, asking for investment vs. just being user Insight: Pilot/trial learnings more important than waitlist numbers Strategic partnerships: Can be powerful traction, but get mentor advice on structure
Application logistics
Timeline flexibility
- Can edit application up until deadline
- Use next 2 weeks for more progress
- Update traction section as new developments happen
Due diligence
Mas’s question: Do you verify claims? Answer: Light DD, mostly trust-based at this stage Process: Expert selectors can be tagged for domain-specific review Interview stage: Where deeper verification happens
Success stories from current cohort
Henry (Promo Sync)
- Almost didn’t apply (overwhelmed by questions)
- Louisa encouraged him to submit
- Now has strong traction and pilots with major companies
Remy (On The House Group)
- Didn’t know what Startmate was
- Community member encouraged and referred her
- “Smashing it out of the park” during accelerator
Key insight: If you’re on the fence, submit your application
Immediate action items
- Start your application - Don’t wait until after pitch night
- Focus on team + progress sections - highest impact areas
- Test your one-liner - make sure it’s clear to non-experts
- Gather specific numbers with timeframes for all traction
- Film authentic 90-second video - don’t overthink production quality
- Use next 2 weeks for more progress - what can you achieve to strengthen application?
Pitch night connection
Fast-track opportunity: Winning pitch night = fast-tracked interview Application due: Tonight at 11:59 PM Strategy: Use pitch development to inform application answers
Final insights
Selection philosophy
- Early-stage focus: Half of investments are pre-revenue
- Multiple progress types: Customer interviews, users, partnerships all count
- Authenticity wins: Be yourself, show genuine connection to problem
- Speed matters: Demonstrate momentum and fast execution
Sam’s offer
Direct support: sam@startmate.com.au for application questions Interview prep: Will provide interview prompts/questions for finalists Goal: Get as many Launch Club founders into accelerator as possible
Bottom line: This is rare insider access to selection process. Use next 2 weeks to strengthen your application, especially team authority and progress with timeframes. Authenticity and clear communication beat perfection.