ATC application tips: What you need to know before you submit

ATC Team
May 1
3 min read

Updated: May 3

So you've decided to throw your hat in the ring for the Australian Technologies Competition (ATC). Great move!

But how can you make your entry stand out? Here are some helpful tips to put your best foot forward – and common pitfalls to avoid.

Who should enter?

You don’t need to be a fully scaled company with a massive team to be a part of the ATC program.

A common myth to ditch is: “We’re probably too early.” You could be pre-revenue with a small team, or you could already be employing 100 people.

The judging isn’t about size or a completely polished product; it’s about potential.

If you have a unique IP and global ambition, this growth and awards program is the right place for you.

Most common pitfall with applications

What trips applicants up is overcomplicating things. You might live and breathe your product, but judges won’t always be experts in your field.

Some will view your business through an investor lens, while others will view it entirely from outside your industry. If they can’t clearly understand what you do, you’re already on the back foot.

Clarity beats complexity every time.

Founders often fall into the trap of overloading their applications with jargon, buzzwords, and very long sentences that go around in circles without saying very much. Explain your tech like you would to a switched-on friend who doesn’t work in your industry. While sounding impressive is great, it’s more important to be understood.

What to avoid:

Overly technical explanations without context
Writing more instead of writing clearly
Assuming the reader already “gets it”

You want to keep your answers tight and intentional.

Just as importantly, you need to highlight what sets your technology apart. If you’re operating in a crowded market, you can’t assume your difference is obvious.

Articulate your distinct approach, your business model, and your results. You should even briefly compare or benchmark your tech to what’s already out there. Otherwise, it’s easy to get lost in the noise.

Because if the judges are left thinking, “How is this different from the 10 others I’ve seen?”… you’ve already made it harder for yourself.

Looking to enter multiple award categories?

If your business spans more than one award category, you can definitely enter more than one category. We encourage this, especially if you would like to highlight the different strengths of your tech.

How to submit a second category

Once you have registered on the competition platform, complete one of the categories as your first entry.
You can then copy or duplicate that entry and adapt it where necessary to highlight different or unique points pertinent to the secondary category.

In a nutshell, you will need to enter twice, not just indicate that you want to enter for both.

Unsure where you fit? Judges can move entries into more suitable categories during the review process.

There is also a 'Wild Card' category for companies whose products or services do not align with any existing competition categories – ensuring no innovative business is left without a pathway to entry.

Is it worth your time?

With no cost to enter, you have nothing to lose and plenty to gain.

In addition to investor networking, free mentorship, industry recognition and access to growth workshops, there are real opportunities for support and even capital to help you scale. A $100,000 investment prize in cash and hands-on services from Scalare Partners will be awarded to one standout ATC entrant!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLbRIHJWaZo3gOFPVnUxHAk03YLvuDyG_a&v=0gXYZaU_iak

And even if you don’t make it through the first round, it’s far from the end of the road. Many companies come back the following year stronger, sharper, and with a much clearer story –and go on to succeed. Because the real value lies in what you gain along the way.