The next chapter of Plus Eight has officially begun.
Following a highly competitive application process and intensive Bootcamp, we're excited to welcome 14 startups into Phase One of our milestone 10th Plus Eight Accelerator cohort.
This year marks a decade of Plus Eight supporting ambitious founders to build, scale and grow globally. Over the past ten years, the program has helped founders access capital, mentorship, international opportunities and a powerful network of investors, operators and industry leaders, contributing to a portfolio that has raised more than $38 million in follow-on funding and achieved a combined valuation exceeding $249 million.
The journey began with our annual Accelerator Bootcamp, where 25 shortlisted startups joined the Plus Eight team, mentors, partners and industry experts for two intensive days of pitches, workshops and one-on-one sessions. Founders were challenged on every aspect of their business, from customer validation and market opportunity through to product development, growth strategy, legal readiness and commercial viability.
Following a rigorous selection process, 14 startups have now progressed into Phase One of the Accelerator. Meet them below.
Aisembl
👋 Founder: Ben Caine
Aisembl is building an AI-powered platform to simplify one of the most error-prone parts of homebuilding and renovation: product selection and specification, a process that small builders and designers still often manage through email and spreadsheets.
CaseMate
👋 Founder: Drishti Bindra
CaseMate is a digital legal companion designed to guide everyday people through court forms and legal processes with step-by-step support, helping them understand what to do, how to do it, and what to expect throughout their legal journey. By simplifying complex legal procedures and providing contextual guidance, CaseMate reduces overwhelm and improves access to justice for self-represented individuals.
Romi
👋 Founder: Alice Abba
Romi is a real-life social platform for women built around hiking. While technology has made friendship increasingly digital, Romi helps women connect in person through shared outdoor experiences. Hiking is the entry point, but meaningful friendships and community are the long-term outcome, with plans to scale nationally and internationally.
KeyHive
👋 Founders: Aaron and Lauren Mijatovic
KeyHive is reimagining how Australians sell property. Through a combination of AI-powered tools, guided private sales and fixed-fee licensed agency support, KeyHive provides homeowners with a more flexible, affordable alternative to traditional real estate commissions.
TradieScribe
👋 Founders: Kyan Jones, Kyle De Souza and Daniel Hardej
TradieScribe is building a voice-first AI platform that transforms spoken job notes into professional reports, quotes and invoices within seconds. Designed specifically for trades and construction businesses, the platform helps reduce paperwork and gives workers more time back on site.
Switch My House
👋 Founder: Zoe Vos
Switch My House helps homeowners buy and sell more efficiently by connecting buyers and sellers directly, including access to off-market opportunities and flexible transaction conditions. The platform aims to reduce stress and increase control during one of life's biggest decisions.
Vispora
👋 Founders: Tim Buhagiar, Daniel Chrystal and Jess Chrystal
Vispora helps psychologists extend the impact of therapy beyond the clinic. Through a connected mobile platform, families receive personalised resources, activities and strategies designed to improve engagement, strengthen outcomes and support ongoing mental wellbeing between sessions.
RecruitMate AI
👋 Founders: Zad Hossain, Jigar Mistry and Shreya Prajapati
RecruitMate AI is building an AI-powered Recruitment Operating System that automates sourcing, screening and business development activities through specialised AI agents and voice technology, enabling recruiters to focus on relationship building and successful placements.
Athena Quality
👋 Founder: Clare Clouting
Athena Quality is creating self-service digital programs that help food and beverage businesses develop HACCP and quality management systems without relying on expensive consultants. The platform makes food safety and certification processes more accessible, helping SMEs unlock larger market opportunities.
Peachie
👋 Founder: Imogen Blow
Peachie is a content creation agency combining traditional production with AI-generated visuals to deliver high-quality content faster and more efficiently. After validating the model within the wedding industry, the business is expanding into broader commercial and business content markets.
TRUXE Solutions
👋 Founders: Srilekha Mucharla and Nishanth Tedla
TRUXE is a logistics optimisation platform that uses intelligent load planning and 3D visualisation technology to help transport and supply chain businesses maximise vehicle and container utilisation, reducing costs, improving efficiency and lowering environmental impact.
OreNova Engineering
👋 Founder: Brad Skajko
OreNova is transforming mineral processing engineering through automation. By dramatically reducing engineering timelines and costs, the company enables mining operators to access high-quality design and optimisation services faster than traditional approaches.
Ocean Hex
👋 Founders: Oscar Backhouse and Jurgen Valckenaere
Ocean Hex is a nature-tech startup helping transform coastal infrastructure into regenerative environmental assets. Through habitat restoration hardware, autonomous monitoring systems and impact reporting tools, the company enables organisations to improve biodiversity outcomes while meeting environmental objectives.
Semester Student Planner
👋 Founders: Nathan Marr and Joe Hilton
Semester Student Planner partners with universities and colleges across Australia, the UK and the United States to improve student retention and success. Building on its existing physical planner business, the company is now developing an AI-powered personal development platform designed to support students through every stage of their educational journey.
Over the coming weeks, the cohort will participate in weekly masterclasses, one-on-one mentoring, founder coaching and Entrepreneur in Residence sessions as they work to accelerate growth, validate opportunities and prepare for the next stage of the program.
The strongest-performing startups will progress into Phase Two, gaining access to a share of $750,000 in seed funding, international immersion opportunities in San Francisco, and the chance to pitch on stage at Plus Eight Demo Night later this year.
As we celebrate ten years of Plus Eight, we're excited to support this next generation of founders and follow their journey throughout the program.
Stay tuned and follow us on our social channels (LinkedIn here, Facebook here) as we share updates from the cohort and announce who progresses to Phase Two.
The Plus Eight Accelerator is made possible through the support of the Department of Energy and Economic Diversification, BetterLabs, Kaizen West, CFC Group, Spacecubed, Hawaiian, Entrepreneur Trainer Andy Ford, Insight Advisory Group, DFK Gooding Partners and K&L Gates.