How to apply
Free to apply. Built to be worth it.
Applications for ATC27 open in early 2027. You register and submit your entry on the ATC entry platform.
Eligibility
You can apply if you are:
- An Australian-based company with fewer than 100 employees
- You own, or hold the commercial rights to, the IP behind your key technology
- You have an MVP and real traction here in Australia
Round 1 entry
What you’ll need.
- A short overview of your technology and why it is, or will become, a successful commercial business
- Your market and the customer need you are answering
- How you will build it into a successful business
- Your company logo, and one photo or diagram if you like
Judges shortlist the entries with the most compelling answers. Semi-finalists then go into the program.
How judges assess
What judges look for.
- Scalable technology with strong commercial potential
- Evidence of an MVP and early traction
- A clear answer to a real-world problem
- Demonstrated customer need
- A global mindset
Standing out
Clarity beats complexity.
Judges won’t always be experts in your field. Some read your entry as an investor, others from outside your industry. Explain your technology as you would to a switched-on friend, and say plainly what sets it apart from what’s already out there.
Before you submit, ask yourself:
- Would someone outside my industry understand this?
- Is my point of difference crystal clear?
- Have I answered the questions directly, not just broadly?
- Is this concise and straight to the point?
A typical year
When it all happens.
Exact dates are confirmed each year when applications open.
- Feb – May
- Applications open. Free to enter.
- May
- Round one judging. Semi-finalists announced.
- Jun – Aug
- Mentoring, Growth Masterclass, workshops and investor sessions. Growth plans submitted.
- Aug
- Main judging. Finalists announced.
- Sep
- Live pitches, then the National Finals & Awards night in Sydney.
Award categories
More than one fit?
If your business spans more than one award category, you can enter more than one. Complete your first entry on the entry platform, then copy it and adapt it for the second. You need to enter twice, not just indicate that you want both.
Unsure where you fit? Judges can move entries into more suitable categories during review, and a Wild Card category covers companies that don’t align with any other.