What is INNOVATIONACT?

INNOVATIONACT is a program where ANU and UC students learn the skills of an entrepreneur. On the surface this involves learning how to recognise an opportunity and develop it into an organisation or business in order to improve the world (and/or improve your bank account, whatever floats your boat). In order to encourage you to learn, and to give the best opportunities a kick-start, we’ve built the program around a $45,000 business planning competition.

This program is for people who recognise that a university is not just an ‘academic reserve’ where academics can study and write papers closed off from the unpleasantness of the real world.  It is for people who know that a university is a place where intelligent people ponder over and solve real-world problems, a place where young, driven people can come up with an idea in a cafe and turn it into a real-world organisation or business that can make a difference

For up to date news and real time information about the program, you can read our Blog, become a fan on Facebook, and/or follow us on Twitter @InnovationACT

For details about how the program is structured, and to get an idea of what is covered, see our Event Schedule page.

For a list of Frequently asked questions, check out our FAQ page.

If you have any other questions, you can Contact Us.

History of IACT

InnovationACT was started in 2008 by the Australian National University PhD students Fiona Beck, Lachlan Blackhall, Priscilla Kan John, Srinivas Sricharan and Tyler Summers. The first incarnation, called Innovation ANU, was created to help students cross the language barriers between the research and business world and to give them an alternative path to commercialising their ideas. In 2009 the University of Canberra became a partner and Innovation ANU became InnovationACT.

With a fresh and ambitious new vision, whilst still being true to its roots, in 2011 InnovationACT is being organised by Ying (Kelly) Chen, Hayward Matthews, Mathew McGann, Rishni Ratnam and Ricky Yates, who are are a mix of undergraduate and postgraduate students from ANU and UC.