Do you have the next game-changing idea that will advance Australia’s aged care sector?
CareFactor is Australia’s first aged care incubator program – a platform to develop and test unique solutions to solve key industry challenges. CareFactor is an accelerated program of growth and learning with access to mentors, community and networks in aged care, technology, marketing, investors and capital raising.
CareFactor provides skills, resources and support for aged care start-ups, entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs. Supported by sponsors like ACSA, Austrade, Westpac, Paynters, SprintVC, Redchip, Advancer and OQCE, CareFactor has been developed to rapidly scale ideas nationally and internationally.
About the program
The CareFactor Incubator Program runs over 12 weeks from September to December. It includes a 3 Day Masterclass, an 8 Week Mentoring Course and a Pitch Day. Find out more about each below:
3 Day Masterclass (Week 1)
Dates: Monday 23 – Wednesday 25 September
Time: All day
Location: The Precinct, 315 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane.
For three intensive days, you will have workshop sessions with business and industry mentors to develop business growth and customer acquisition skills. Gain valuable insight from startup businesses and industry experts. The Masterclass will include workshops, expert presentations and mentoring on topics such as:
- Aged care industry
- Entrepreneurship & commercialisation
- Finance & investment-ready
- Costing & budgeting
- Built environment & infrastructure strategy
At the conclusion of the 3 Day workshop, each team will be matched with CareFactor mentors, based on team need and mentor expertise areas.
8 Week Goal-Oriented Mentoring Course (Weeks 2 – 9)
Date: September – November
Location: Remote via video-conference (pending team location)
Over 8 weeks, teams will engage with their mentors for weekly check-ins. You will be matched with a mentor who is the best fit for you, based on needs and skills. Mentors are led by CareFactor’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Llew Jury, Founder and Director of Advancer. Sessions will be focussed on goal planning and achievement, growth guidance and pitch preparation and will either be face to face (in Brisbane) or via videoconference, depending on your location. Mentors will rotate so that each team has the opportunity to work with different mentors during the course, and mentor-team matches will be made by CareFactor.
The mentoring sessions build skills to help scale your business quickly, including investments, going global, digital marketing, raising capital and team building. Participants are able to tap into real-world experience, helping to solve paint points along the way with minimal trial and error.
Find out more information about the mentoring program here.
Pitch Day (Week 12)
Date: Friday 13 December
Time: 12pm – 6pm
Location: The Precinct, 315 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane.
Here, you have the opportunity to pitch your project or start-up to a panel of investors and/or buyers. Teams will receive constructive feedback, and may receive offers of investment. The panel will choose 1x finalist team, who will receive a short-term residency in Singapore to build international market connections and gain in-country mentoring.
Who is CareFactor for?
- Entrepreneurs and start-ups
- Innovators and ‘intrapreneurs’ within aged care (or other) organisations
- Researchers or university students
What do participants get?
Every part of the program has been tailored to help you commercialise your idea.
- Intensive Learning – Hands-on workshops with market-leading tools teaching you how to commercialise.
- Structured Program – Focused program based on proven recipes for putting innovation into practice, delivered by experts.
- Best-in-class Mentors – Guided engagement with expert mentors and industry stakeholders.
- Exclusive Networking – Access to a unique network of industry experts and mentors, as well as an opportunity to pitch to investors.
- Subsidised Participation – Participants will receive up to $10,000 of in-kind value over the 12 weeks.
Value for aged care service providers:
Aged care organisations are encouraged to submit in-house teams with an idea or project.
- Commercialise your Innovation Agenda – Use CareFactor to grow and meet your organisation’s strategic innovation goals.
- Support your Intrapreneurs – Strengthen your innovation culture by supporting in-house entrepreneurs to apply entrepreneurial tools and methods.
Value for the research and innovation community:
- Clear to-market path – Fast-track the route from laboratory to industry with a focused commercialisation program.
- Industry Engagement – Opportunity to engage and form partnerships with key industry stakeholders, investors and buyers
FAQ’S
Contact us
Please contact us at carefactor@bris.bentleys.com.au if you have any questions about CareFactor or would like to speak further about the program.
Applications are now open
We are now taking applications for the 12-week CareFactor Incubator Program. We look forward to hearing from you!
Heath Shonhan
Partner
Bentleys Queensland
Peta Keir
Director
Bentleys Queensland
Hasitha Samaratunga
Associate Director
Bentleys Queensland
Ilona Caruana
Consultant
Bentleys Queensland
