2022
2023
2024
The Battle of the Founders (BOTF) is a pitch event hosted by OnMarket that brings together founders across the nation for an electric night of community building and insightful entrepreneurship.​
​
Following an overwhelming response from the NSW startup community in 2022, in 2023 we took the competition interstate, with the support of the Queensland Government. Running simultaneously, entrepreneurs from both NSW and QLD had the opportunity to battle in their state of residency.
​​​
For its third year running, the Battle of the Founders is ramping up - delivering the biggest event yet. Scheduled for 24 October, 2024. This year we're inviting companies who are revenue generating to apply to pitch at the competition, judged by reputable investors, entrepreneurs, and VC managers. Our goal is to create an environment that motivates and inspires aspiring founders.
​
If you're a business who is generating revenue, eager to build an army of brand ambassadors, ready to expand your market share and expedite your next phase of growth, don't miss your opportunity to win an equity crowdfunding raise at no upfront cost. Click the button below to apply for the Battle of the Founders. ​
Applications now closed.
What previous winners have to say about the competition
"The competition is terrific. The best part of the whole Battle of the Founders program was that Tim and Cassie are exceptional. That is accurate, objective, and sincere. To further elaborate, this comes back to the current world and how everything is technologically driven. When human beings get involved with the right drive, framework, objective, and ethics, that makes a difference." - Brendan
"It's a well structured competition. The time Tim and Cassie were willing to spend in helping us to frame our problem and refine our pitches was invaluable. We learned so much and gained the clarity we need to prepare us for any future investor pitches and discussions. A battle that's highly recommended for founders who see the value in crowdfunding!" - Vern
_them1group%20copy.jpg)
Prize Breakdown
​The Battle of the Founder's winner will receive an all inclusive equity crowdfunding raise at no upfront cost, a prize valued at $30,000. This includes use of OnMarket's platform and capital raising expertise, as well as a digital marketing and PR campaign.
​
✅ Investor Communications: message refinement and growth strategy development
​
✅ Raise Fundamentals: raise collateral, revision of new investor assets, and Data Room support
​
✅Investors & Shareholders: revision of term sheet, negotiations, and guidance on compliance
​
✅Professional Valuation: comparison of industry standards and analysis reporting
​
✅Digital Marketing: ad management, ad creation, audience identification, visual creation and advertising campaign strategy
​
✅ PR Campaign: campaign strategy, copy writing, print and tv media coverage
​
Prize Sponsors
What is equity crowdfunding?
Crowd-sourced funding (CSF), or equity crowdfunding, enables retail, high-net-worth, and sophisticated investors to invest in Australian businesses.
CSF is a revolutionary form of capital raising that is growing in popularity amongst unlisted businesses due to magnitude of growth by-products that come from running a campaign. This includes decreased customer acquisition costs, brand awareness, partner and supplier inquires, customer retention, and brand ambassadors. You can learn more here.
What do I need to apply to pitch?
To submit an application, you will need to prepare a pitch deck and pitch video. As guidance on what information to include in your pitch deck, we have created a template. You can download this on the right and customise it as needed.
​
The pitch video is a maximum of three minutes long and gives you the opportunity to talk through your pitch deck. Your video does not need to be professionally produced and can be filmed on a smart phone. Submitting a pitch video is optional but highly recommended.
​
To uncover how to create the perfect pitch and the benefits of equity crowdfunding, review the resources in the educational hub below.
Battle of the Founders Educational Hub
Meet our MC
Clive is the former chair of Fishburners and our host for the evening. He has been a tech investor for many years, helping build companies including Sky Software and Open Learning, prior to a 20 year successful tech career including positions at NetScape, REA and Digital.
His energy and experience brings the event to life, making it a fun and inclusive event for all.
Battle of the Founders Judging Panel
From scaling some of the highest mountains in the world, to working with Richard Branson on the future of philanthropy, exiting his business for over $100m and captaining Australia in the World Elephant Polo Championships, Creel Price is the high-octane adventurer at the forefront of what he now calls The Entreprenaissance.
Creel is co-founder of Investible, an early-stage venture capital firm backing the visionaries advancing humanity through technology. Its mission is to connect ground-breaking companies with the capital, expertise, and networks they need to realise their potential on a global scale.
In his most recent endeavour, Creel has founded Greenhouse - a climate action ecosystem dedicated to helping innovators, organisations, governments, academics and investors scale impactful climate action.
Katie assists tech companies to scale globally through her role in Investment NSW’s Going Global Export Program.
With her team in the Going Global Export Program, Katie helps companies understand the market dynamics and practical approaches for doing business in the target market and creates opportunities to identify and engage with new customers, network with global businesses and entrepreneurs, promotion and peer interaction. Investment NSW has allocated $3 million over 4 years to its MVP Ventures Program, which offers grants to early-stage startups and small and medium enterprises to drive the commercialisation of new and highly innovative products or processes in NSW.
Katie has over a decade of experience working with startups and scaleups in the financial technology, cyber security, climate tech, SaaS, edtech, and digital games space.
Robin, the Managing Director of Jigsaw Agency, has over 8 years of hands-on experience in raising capital for start-ups. With a track record of helping more than 150 companies across Australia and the UK, Robin has been able to help companies secure over $75 million through equity crowdfunding campaigns.
​
Robin's passion lies in empowering startups, a cornerstone philosophy at Jigsaw Agency—where the belief is that powerful stories raise capital. His keen understanding of storytelling and compelling messaging has enabled numerous businesses to tap into capital they might otherwise have missed.
​
Specialising in capital raising marketing services, Robin and his team translate complex business models into digestible narratives that attract investors.
In Partnership With
-
Can I attend, but not pitch?Of course. Tickets will go on sale during September. Keep an eye on OnMarket and Fishburners channels!
-
What happens after I apply to pitch?You will receive a confirmation email confirming your submission has been successfully received by OnMarket. Finalists will be announced on 11 October via email. Then, OnMarket will provide each of the six finalists with a feedback to help them elevate their pitch in preparation for the battle.
-
When is the Battle of the Founders?The Battle of the Founders will be held on October 24, from 5pm - 7pm at Fishburners in York St.
-
What is the eligibility critera?If you tick these three boxes, you are eligible to pitch: - Australian based business - On track to make $500k + in revenue in the next 12 months - Desire to raise growth capital via equity crowdfunding