All the important information you'll need, to submit your Techcelerator 2022 application.

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Techcelerator application support

Check your project eligibility for Techcelarator

  • The design, construction or commission of the project is novel in the use of deep technologies.
  • The intent is to establish the technical feasibility and commercial merit of a new product, process or service using deep technology or establish an incremental innovation in a product, process or service using deep technologies.
  • There is adequate customer or market research to establish demand for the new product, process or service using deep technologies.
  • The intellectual property must be owned and developed by the student(s) in the project.
  • The project plan leads to a working prototype using UTS facilities and technical support.
  • Teams must include a Faculty of Engineering and IT student who serves as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) or project leader.
  • There must be at least one female member of the team.
  • A UTS student can only attend one Techcelerator program during their time at UTS.

Checklist for success

  • Take time to conduct desk research.
  • Draft and re-draft your Expression of Interest (get someone to review your application).
  • Make sure you are proposing something unique and not replicating a solution.
  • Emphasise customer validation activities in your project plan.
  • Reach out to others to listen to your pitch and hold your own ‘pitch and polish’ session before you film.
  • Time your presentation and keep it under 90 seconds.

Selection criteria

  1. Provide a clear description of the customer need to be met, the proposed solution and its value proposition and the customer's ability/willingness to pay for the product or service (describe the market niches, primary/secondary markets, first customers, etc).
  2. Quantify the target market size and a description of any risk associated with your chosen market.
  3. Provide a description of the proposed competitive advantage in the marketplace.
  4. Identify the novelty of your solution and the deep technologies being deployed in succinct, non-technical language.
  5. Propose a solution that can be developed into a working prototype leveraging UTS facilities and research by the end of the program.
  6. Affirm that the intellectual property is owned by the student(s) of the project and has described how the IP is distinctly different, including the student’s room to operate in the market.
  7. Demonstrate that customer validation has been undertaken or is planned (fieldwork, survey results, customer contacts or testimonials, pilots, etc).
  8. Provide a four-month project plan with identified milestones.
  9. Provide a well-estimated, well-described budget, sub-divided by each milestone/month with expense subtotals for each month and a grand total.
  10. The project has a well-described business model including the marketing channels and alliance partnerships.
  11. Demonstrate the values, mindsets, experience and skills of the student(s) align with the solution being proposed.
  12. Your pitch video is professional and persuasive and covers the following:
    • Introduce yourself, your project name and the deep technology you will deploy.
    • Describe your customer, market size and value proposition (Why should we care? What is the ‘pain/gain’ point?).
    • Describe how your solution is original and significant.

Common mistakes

  • No target market specified or (size (#/$/sectors) or ability to pay, current spending habits or demographics.
  • No unmet need or value proposition was specified.
  • No analysis of competition or how this solution will be unique/different.
  • No proposed business models were offered (business to consumer, business to business, business to enterprise).
  • No description of first customers, potential partners for pilots, or evidence of traction or plan for customer validation in milestones (eg fieldwork, survey results, customer contacts, pilots, etc).
  • Poorly identified or detailed tech development steps (milestones/costs).
  • The scope is not feasible or unrealistic for a 4-month period.
  • No budget is provided or the budget is not detailed or connected to the project plan.
  • Students do not own their IP on the project proposed; there was very little room to operate or the product proposed was in direct competition with existing products/services.
  • Tech identified was not related to a UTS tech infrastructure or research strength.
  • Team skills and or team expertise are not well connected to the problem being solved or are not communicated (participants don't communicate their ‘why’ effectively).

Video resources

Video content

  1. Introduce yourself and your project
    What is your name? What is the name of your project? What is the deep tech area your project is utilising?
  2. Explain your value proposition
    What is the problem you are solving? Who has the problem? How is your project solving the problem?
  3. Explain how your solution is original and significant
    How is this different to what exists at the moment? What is the significance of this solution? Convince us of its importance, and potential impact.

Creating the video

  • Native files cannot be uploaded. Please submit a share URL instead.
  • Students are welcome to use a movie/editing/presentation program of their choice, but a share URL must be uploaded into EOI form.
  • Common video editing programs include PowerPoint, iMovie, and Windows Movie Maker.
  • UTS students can also access Kaltura Capture. The site includes tutorials on how to create videos. UTS IT Support can help if you need assistance with using Kaltura Capture.
  • UTS LinkedIn Learning Tutorials offer excellent guides on how to edit videos with a range of software. Log into UTS LinkedIn Learning and type “editing videos” into the search bar.
  • Save your file using the following naming convention: First Name_Last Name_Student Number_Video

VIDEO Tips

  • Create the video pitch as if you were presenting to a live audience at an event. It is not intended to be a commercial, with fancy graphics and musical score. Focus on ensuring your information, research and key message are clearly conveyed to the audience.
  • Would someone with a non-technical background understand your presentation’s key ideas?
  • At the same time, capture the audience’s interest. Clear, concise information and good communication skills come into play.
  • UTS LinkedIn Learning Tutorials have a guide on how to create video presentation content. Type “creating videos” into the search bar.

questions?

Contact us at techcelerator@uts.edu.au