Calling all brilliant researchers ready to make an impact
EnergyLab’s Climate Tech Lab to Market Program is a 9-week journey connecting individuals with the resources and mentorship to understand how their research might be commercialised through entrepreneurship - that is becoming a founder, and launching a startup. Paving your path for success, this is your entry point into Australia’s largest network of climate tech entrepreneurs and investors. The Climate Tech Lab to Market program is proudly funded by the NSW Government.
Key dates
- Applications open: 6 November 2026 - 6 January 2027
- Interviews: 11 January 2027
- Program runs: 2 February - 1 April 2027
Meet some of our alumni
Tasneem Rangwala (Cohort 1, 2024)
Nikolaus Metzger (Cohort 1, 2024)
Benjamin Tonnot (Cohort 2, 2025)
Hank Garg (Cohort 2, 2025)
Shaikh Faisal (Cohort 3, 2026)
Farid Moazzen (Cohort 3, 2026)
Why take the leap with us?
We offer expertise in climate tech entrepreneurship. When you join our community, we’ll provide you with the resources and mentorship you need to recognise and build commercial opportunities for your research as a founder. Here’s what’s on offer.
Entrepreneurship as a commercialisation pathway
You’ll learn about how to bring your research to life by creating products and services that create meaningful impact.
Learn the foundations of entrepreneurship
What does it take to start a startup? We’ll show you the different stages of the entrepreneurial journey, and guide you to the launch of your startup.
Hone in on the problem you’re aiming to solve
You have an idea of a problem you want to solve - we’ll support you to collect valuable information, and test your assumptions.
Building a Business
We’ll provide workshops to support you on your commercialisation journey - topics such as incorporation, IP protection and extraction, strategic partnerships, moving up the TRL ladder and fund raising will all be covered.
Explore an idea that creates meaningful value
We’ll help you understand how your startup idea creates value, and for whom. We’ll share methods of learning about your potential customer’s needs, and how to go about validating your idea.
Thrive with dedicated mentorship
You’ll receive personalised support from EnergyLab’s network of over 400 mentors spanning professionals and founders striving towards reaching net-zero and with expertise in leadership, management, operations and more.
Community for life
EnergyLab is home to the largest virtual community of energy entrepreneurs in Australia. You’ll meet other researchers eager to make an impact and on graduating the program you’ll join a pool of over 200 alumni that get access to events and opportunities.
A path forward
EnergyLab’s portfolio of programs span every stage of the entrepreneurial journey, supporting you with the expertise and networks you need to reach every growth milestone.
Program mentors and presenters
EnergyLab's Lab to Market program boasts an impressive roster of speakers. We bring in industry experts to share their knowledge and experiences, as well as researchers turned entrepreneurs to share their journeys and learnings. Our speakers delve into a wide range of topics including ideation, customer discovery, IP & patenting, capital raising, business model canvas, pitching and many other relevant subjects. These are just some of our amazing speakers.
Ashby Field
Business Development Officer, SA Government's Department for Industry, Innovation and Science
LinkedIn
Program structure
This 9-week program will spark your first steps towards building a startup opportunity. For each module, two workshops will be delivered each week, with a one-week break.
Entrepreneurship as a commercialisation pathway
Module 1
You’ll start the program by meeting other participants and focusing on your research's impact. You'll meet founders who have commercialised their research and learn about different commercialisation pathways.
Identifying the right problem to solve
Module 2
You will refine the core problem your research addresses, clarifying its use cases and potential commercial applications.
Customer discovery
Module 3
We’ll deep dive into understanding how your solution solves real-world problems. You’ll identify customer archetypes and learn some customer research tools.
Articulating a value proposition
Module 4
You will begin developing a value proposition and building a business model around this.
Customer interviews
Break Week
You’ll spend the week refining your value proposition and validating your idea by undertaking some customer research.
Building & Pitching
Module 5
You’ll gain insights into the validation and development pathways for your technology, as well as receive pitch training to effectively communicate your idea.
Legal Considerations
Module 6
You’ll explore the legal considerations to launching a startup, and how you can protect your key asset - your intellectual property.
Raising funds
Module 7
You'll learn more about the Australian fundraising landscape and explore the financial viability of your venture.
Showcase & Graduation
Module 8
The program culminates with an opportunity to pitch and showcase your idea to a panel of EnergyLab mentors.
Program cost
We are offering the first 10 spots free of charge to eligible applicants who receive an offer. Once these 10 free places are filled, the standard program fee applies. This initiative is made possible thanks to generous support from our broader network and founder community, including contributions from our ‘Pay It Forward’ campaign.
The program costs $450 (including GST). We're a non-profit organisation and your contribution goes towards program delivery costs. The price includes:
- 9 weeks of workshops, panel discussions and Q&As
- Frameworks and course content you can keep and use again
- 1-1 startup mentoring from one of our exceptional mentors (2x one-hour sessions)
- Individual check-ins with our Lab to Market Program Lead
- Access to Sydney coworking space
If you're not happy with the program, email us within a month of graduating and we'll give you your money back, no questions asked.
What our alumni have to say
“ The program is a great way to learn where one needs to focus in the journey of being an entrepreneur. Each session has just the right amount of information and the interactive sessions are just fantastic. I highly recommend the Lab to Market Program. ”
Cohort 1, 2024
“ Lab to Market is an amazing program that will help you transform your ideas and research into a business. ”
Cohort 1, 2024
“ This program is ideal for researchers who are new to the business world. As a resource it provides a great network of business professionals across Australia, and the program's many weekly exercises will help clarify and transit your research to real world. ”
Cohort 1, 2024
“ The EnergyLab program provides access to a great network of mentors and examples within the startup space. It helped focus on the key questions for startup viability and steps to success. ”
Cohort 2, 2025
“ This program is incredibly valuable for anyone looking to bridge the gap between research and real-world impact. It provides practical tools, guidance, and industry insights to help transform innovative concepts into viable ventures. ”
Cohort 2, 2025
“ The EnergyLab Climate Tech Lab to Market Program provided a comprehensive overview of the mindset shift required to transition from a researcher to an entrepreneur. It covered the essential fundamentals that every new entrepreneur should understand to progress effectively and avoid common pitfalls. I highly recommend this program to researchers, particularly those deeply engaged in technical fields, who are considering the entrepreneurial path. ”
Cohort 2, 2025
Applications
How to Apply
Applications close 6th January 2027
Submit your application and we’ll get in touch to let you know next steps.
Interviews
January 2027
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a short virtual interview before offers are made.
Offers
Late January 2027
Successful applicants will be invited to join the program shortly after the interview process.
Program kick off
1st February 2027
You'll be onboarded in the week prior to kick off.
Selection criteria
We support ambitious individuals in Australia or with links to Australia who are eager to explore commercialising their research through entrepreneurship. We’re looking for established researchers, PhD students, and early to mid-career researchers (EMCRs) with research that can contribute to decarbonisation. These are the qualities we’ll select for:
Vision
Are you driven to solve the world’s most pressing climate challenges? Are you eager to learn how your research can make impact?
Spirit
Are you ambitious, comfortable with ambiguity and not afraid to take calculated risks (or become more open to it)?
Hustle
Do you have the tenacity and determination to achieve ambitious goals?
FAQs
The program is delivered entirely virtually, over Zoom. You can dial in from anywhere. There will be opportunities to connect with the EnergyLab community in Sydney and Melbourne.
Not at all. Having a diversity of experience in the cohort makes for rich conversation and learning experiences. All you need is an interest in climate, energy and decarbonisation and a related research project.
No. The aim of this program is to give you the know-how, tools and confidence to take your first steps into the entrepreneurial path. If you already have a startup idea, that's a bonus!
There are 20 spots in each cohort. Participants are selected based on the program criteria.
Over 9 weeks, you’ll spend 3 hours weekly in evening workshops. Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity for 2 mentorship sessions, and to make the most of the program, you’re encouraged to do some work in your own time
Climate tech: Technologies that are explicitly focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions or addressing the impacts of climate change.
We are looking for participants who are based or have a significant connection to the ANZ region. As our program is tailored to this market, international applicants are only accepted if they can demonstrate a substantial pre-existing connection to the region - such as ANZ expats planning to return or founders actively relocating their business here. All activities run from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM (AEST/AEDT). You must be able to reliably participate within this timeframe.
The first 10 candidates who are accepted and offered a place in the cohort will have their program fee 100% subsidised ($0). Any offers extended after the initial 10 free places are allocated will be at the standard rate of $450 (inc. GST). We encourage early applications to secure one of these spots.
Please email [email protected] if you have any other questions.