Curtin Accelerate’s 2026 Cohort Lands Two Funding Deals And A Hospital Pilot In 12 Weeks

Curtin University’s Accelerate program has wrapped its 2026 cohort, with two startups securing investment, a Perth founder landing a hospital pilot contract, and what the university says is the fastest progression from concept to deployed product in the 12-week program’s history.

Running since 2013, Curtin Accelerate is a free program that pairs early-stage founders with mentors, investors, and structured guidance to take innovative products or services to market over a 12-week intensive.

Safe Call Up, founded by Kristy Gallagher, secured a pilot contract with a major Western Australian hospital for its discreet safety-monitoring app aimed at family and domestic violence survivors. Suss Beauty developed a proprietary waterless skincare formulation. Aisembl’s design-to-documentation platform for homeowners and professionals progressed from concept to customer-tested in-market within the program. Robotics venture Sunfish Robotics also came through this year’s intake.

“It’s clear the program is deeply invested in founder success and being surrounded by a cohort of high-calibre startups makes it an even more powerful experience,” Gallagher said.

Sunfish Robotics co-founder Nikki Staltari said the program had been valuable at this stage of the company’s journey.

“The quality of mentors and presenters, who all bring real, lived experience, is exceptional and the resources available during and after the program are unmatched,” Staltari said.

A pipeline from idea to revenue

Curtin University Director of Entrepreneurship Danelle Cross said the cohort’s results showed the program acting as a direct route from innovation to commercial outcome.

“We’re seeing Western Australian founders turn strong ideas into serious commercial ventures, attracting investment and gaining real traction in market,” Cross said.

“Curtin Accelerate is about giving entrepreneurs the tools, networks and confidence to grow quickly — and the outcomes this year show just how powerful that support can be and are a clear signal of investor confidence in WA entrepreneurs.”

Beyond the headline outcomes, several ventures moved from early-stage concepts to products deployed in-market within the 12-week window — the fastest progression the program has recorded — while others generated pre-sales and early revenue.

Cross said the focus was squarely on founders building businesses with the capacity to scale beyond the State.

“This is about backing people with the ambition and capability to build the next generation of WA businesses,” she said. “We’re not just supporting startups — we’re helping founders create companies that can grow, compete globally and deliver long-term impact.”

The program sits within Curtin’s wider entrepreneurship and innovation work, which the university positions as a contribution to strengthening Western Australia’s innovation ecosystem.