Register your interest

Melbourne InnovatEd is designed to incentivise, support and drive the creation and uptake of EdTech innovations within the Tertiary setting at the University

MEC Bootcamps

At the end of 2025, the Melbourne Entrepreneurial Centre (MEC) reshaped its programs with a simple goal in mind: to help more people turn promising ideas and research into innovations that create real‑world impact.

These new MEC Bootcamps build on the popular InnovatEd and TRAMX Bootcamps, offering a refreshed, one‑day introduction to entrepreneurial thinking.

If you’ve been waiting for the next InnovatEd bootcamp, this is the new version, and we encourage you to register via the link below.

The MEC Bootcamp is designed to help participants test assumptions early, build evidence, and develop solutions grounded in genuine needs, setting a stronger foundation for whatever comes next.

What is the MEC Bootcamp?
The MEC Bootcamp is a one‑day, hands‑on introduction to entrepreneurship, designed for anyone curious about innovation and problem‑solving.

Open to University of Melbourne researchers, alumni, and staff, the bootcamp equips participants with practical tools to:

  • Test ideas quickly and rigorously
  • Solve problems creatively using proven innovation frameworks
  • Shape opportunities with real‑world impact
  • Apply entrepreneurial thinking in any role or discipline

Whether your goal is to develop an education innovation, commercialise research, explore a startup idea, or strengthen your professional skill set, the MEC Bootcamp is for you.

What can you expect?
Across the day, participants will:

  • Learn entrepreneurial frameworks to identify problems, and validate opportunities
  • Develop these skills to test and refine ideas with evidence
  • Work alongside like‑minded peers, mentors and potential users to refine your project and explore the impact of EdTech innovations.
  • Connect with a supportive community focused on impact and experimentation

The bootcamp offers a safe, supportive environment to learn by doing, helping you build confidence in tackling complex challenges and shaping ideas into meaningful solutions.

Why attend?

MEC Bootcamps are more than just learning, they’re about doing.
You’ll walk away with:

  • Practical tools you can apply immediately
  • New ways of approaching problems and opportunities
  • A clearer understanding of how ideas move from concept to impact
  • A stronger network across the University innovation ecosystem

MEC Bootcamps are now running monthly, with new dates added for the remainder of 2026.

Register for a 2026 Bootcamp here: REGISTER HERE

MEC Discover

University innovators often join programs like InnovatEd, TRAM and MAP Velocity with strong ideas and the ambition to create impact. From our experience we know successful ventures require more than a great idea and ambition - they require evidence that the problem they're aiming to solve is real, meaningful, and worth solving.

That’s why we've created MEC Discover, a refreshed program to help innovators build that evidence. The program supports founders to refine the problem they’re solving, test assumptions, and develop solutions grounded in real needs, so the ideas we build have the greatest potential to create meaningful impact.

If you were interested in applying for InnovatEd funding, Discover is now the program you should apply for. Discover will give you the foundations needed for future funding opportunities through MEC programs, ensuring your education innovation is off to the best possible start. Completion of Discover will also be a prerequisite for eligibility for InnovatEd funding in the future.

Applications open: MEC Discover (2026)

13 April – 29 May | 7 weeks | In-person workshops

Have an idea, concept, or piece of research that could have real-world impact? Discover helps you explore its potential and turns ideas into stronger opportunities.

Across six practical workshops, you’ll refine the problem you're solving, test your assumptions, speak with potential users, and gather meaningful evidence about your idea to help you build the best solution for those who will use it.

Some innovators validate that they’re already on the right track, while others discover insights that refine or reshape their idea, helping them move forward with greater clarity, confidence and evidence that they are on the right track.

Who's it for:
University of Melbourne staff, researchers, and alumni who:

  • Have an idea, concept, or piece of research with potential real-world impact
  • Want to explore whether it could become a startup, venture, or practical solution
  • Are willing to test their ideas and speak with potential users

Discover is now the entry point to MEC accelerator venture programs, with completion required before applying for InnovatEd funding, or accelerator programs such as Melbourne Accelerator Program and TRAM Accelerator Program.

Applications close 5 April 2026 Apply via a short, easy questionnaire on the MEC Portal - no lengthy application required. Find out more on the MEC website: MEC DISCOVER

Incubation Program

InnovatEd is the University of Melbourne's bespoke education innovation incubator.

Our Incubation Funding Program provides up to $25,000 in funding, as well as customised support tailored to your project’s needs. Whether you're just getting started or are well on your way, our program offers exclusive access to key university stakeholders, resources, and the wider innovation and EdTech community. By joining InnovatEd, you'll have the opportunity to make a lasting impact on education, creating technology that enhances the student experience and transforms learning at the University of Melbourne.

If you’d like more information or wish to discuss your ideas with our team, contact Dr Nicki Cranna n.cranna@unimlb.edu.au

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The InnovatEd Bootcamp has evolved into the MEC Bootcamp. The MEC Bootcamp is the refreshed, one‑day introduction to entrepreneurial thinking, designed to help participants test ideas, validate problems, and build evidence early.

  • Yes. Completion of MEC Discover - or a similar pre-accelerator program -  is required before applying for InnovatEd funding. Discover replaces the early validation stage that previously formed part of the InnovatEd program.

  • MEC programs now follow a clearer, staged pathway:

    • MEC Bootcamp introduces entrepreneurial thinking and practical innovation tools
    • MEC Discover supports deeper problem validation, user discovery, and evidence‑building
    • InnovatEd funding forms part of our accelerator programs and supports education innovations that are ready to progress further

  • MEC Discover is a multi‑week, in‑person program that helps participants apply entrepreneurial frameworks to their problem and solution, speak with potential users, and gather evidence to determine whether their idea is real, meaningful, and worth solving.

  • Yes, University of Melbourne Alumni who graduated in the previous 3 years may apply - but you need to have completed MEC Discover or similar pre-accelerator program

  • If you’re new to entrepreneurship or still exploring an idea, start with the MEC Bootcamp. If you’re ready to validate a specific idea or research opportunity in depth, MEC Discover is the next step.

What's involved About InnovatEd showcase

Connect with us

The first step for all InnovatEd programs, is to register your interest so we can keep you updated.

Register your interest