# Landing Page

Your private invitation to apply for membership to Australia and New Zealand’s most thriving and exclusive community of tech disruptors. Accelerating the success of visionary founders and investors through connection, community and education We believe… We believe in disruptive innovation and the people passionately dedicating their lives to making a positive impact on the world. We believe in the butterfly effect – by supporting one ambitious individual they are better equipped and connected, to positively influence many others. We believe in finding a place of belonging, a safe harbour –  and the transformative power of finding your people, your community. We believe in peer learning – someone has walked the road you’re on and has a goldmine of information to share with you. Who we are Innovation Bay is a thriving community accelerating the success of visionary founders and investors in Australia and New Zealand. Since 2003, Innovation Bay has been igniting the tech landscape, forging valuable connections and creating a dynamic ecosystem where founders, investors, and leaders come together to exchange experiences, knowledge, and inspiration. At Innovation Bay, we believe in the power of community, connection, and education to drive disruptive change. Our mission is to empower the disruptors of today and tomorrow, fuelling their growth and success through the power of meaningful connections, collaborative learning, and unrivalled access to investment and deal flow. INNOVATION BAY Our communities Our vibrant community comprises four carefully curated and distinct ecosystems: For Founders Canopy A community for ambitious early (Seed) stage founders. A collaborative, confidential environment where members can share closed-door, peer-to-peer conversations. This is the most critical stage of a startup, the Valley of Death: from seed to Series A. You need support and to be surrounded by others going through similar challenges, who will also join in celebrating you and your successes. Summit Summit is an exclusive, highly curated community for Series A+ founders and CEOs. They are the mavericks, visionaries and outliers, who are dedicated to making a positive and lasting impact in the world. Our Summit Community focuses on peer-to-peer learning and connection amongst the top tech founders in Australia and New Zealand. Founders can get answers to their questions sooner, share their challenges with others who truly ‘get it’ and celebrate their successes with others who understand the physical, mental, and emotional demands of startup life. For Investors Aurora Aurora is for Australia and New Zealand’s venture capital general partners. Aurora exists to shape and enable the future of the industry to thrive via more collaboration, deeper connections, and collective learning. We don’t focus on deal flow, we focus on building relationships. Aurora was created to unite VCs across Australia and New Zealand and provide an intimate and relaxed environment for leaders in VC to have thoughtful and authentic conversations, share the triumphs and tribulations and dynamic peer-driven discussions. Horizon Horizon is a tight knit community of experienced angel investors from diverse backgrounds. Our members are passionate about creating a lasting, positive impact on the Australia and New Zealand tech ecosystem by backing the next generation of ambitious early-stage founders of world changing startups. Horizon is founder friendly – we invest our time in a founder’s success through candid and constructive feedback. Horizon membership fosters active angels – we provide highly curated deal flow, facilitate due diligence and then step aside to empower our community to interact with founders directly. What our members say “What stood out about Innovation Bay for me was the attention to the purity of the community. Innovation Bay have always done a terrific job of cultivating the community.” Phil Morle | Partner, Main Sequence Ventures “Innovation Bay is really unique. It’s an open forum for discussion. We come and connect and share deals and talk about what we’re struggling with or what we’re aiming for. It’s such a great space to be able to get everyone together and all the different ideas.”  Georgia Barkell | Partner, Sprint Ventures Jeremy Duff | Co-Founder, Sizle Michelle Deaker | Managing Partner, One Ventures “Joining Summit is one of the best decisions I have made. It is an open and growth oriented environment, where you can talk deeply with entrepreneurs who are going on a similar journey. There are so many lessons, regardless of specific tech niche you are in, that everyone faces when trying to scale a tech business, and Summit allows you to dive into these with fellow entrepreneurs you can trust as they have no agenda apart from sharing and learning together.” James Ferguson | CEO, Immutable “Innovation Bay is done in the right spirits. It’s the first time in a long time I feel like I’m part of a community and can contribute. The magic happens when you can put lots of people in a room together who have the right values and intentions. What I’m finding is that everyone wants to help each other. I’ve built some really great relationships.” Yash Varma | Founder & General Partner, Empress Capital Rajeev Gupta | Partner, ALIUM Capital What’s in it for you… Exclusive community of like-minded individuals on a similar journey Find your people! You need not walk this road alone! Get answers to your questions sooner, share challenges with others who truly ‘get it’ and celebrate yours and others success in a safe and familiar environment. Transformative peer to peer learning, knowledge sharing, education, networking, deal flow There’s nothing quite like learning from someone who has walked the path you’re on, made the mistakes you need to hear about, and hold a wealth of knowledge you likely won’t find anywhere else. Our community, and wider network, is filled with some of the best and most intriguing minds in the industry  This is what Innovation Bay is all about. Incredible, bespoke experiential event calendar Our events have been called “the best on offer in the industry”. We meticulously curate events especially focused on what founders and investors are experiencing. You’ll always walk away from every Innovation Bay interaction with fresh knowledge, inspiring insights, deeper connections and a more robust network! Access to a network unlike any other in ANZ The ecosystem we’re creating really is the cream of the crop. Our membership is selective and exclusive – the quality of our membership speaks for itself! And lastly…. Because it’s damn good fun Community Pillars Each moment we facilitate with our community (events, workshops, meetings etc) is shaped on three key pillars: Community – Breadth…it all starts here (noun) the condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common Each moment to connect signifies the level of community interaction – whether it’s with the whole community, your entire sub-community, or a curated, intimate group. Tech founders and funders are a unique breed. We offer a home, a sense of belonging, a sense of finding your people. The concept of ‘the strength of weak ties’ states that it is the people outside our immediate circle of friends and connections that unlock the greatest insights, inspiration and opportunities. Being a part of this community will give you access to a collective energy, a sense being part of something greater, and a feeling of strength and support that you’re not alone. Connection – Depth…from breadth, humans seek depth (noun) the act of joining or being joined to something else, or the part or process that makes this possible We strive to drive deeper interpersonal relationships with kindred spirits. We foster a place for moments of visceral connections with those on a journey similar to yours. High risk pursuits, like founding or investing in startups, require incredibly trusted relationships. We facilitate the development of trust and confidence in your fellow member connections. Education – Vulnerability…from depth we become open (noun) an enlightening experience Being a part of a community gives us a heightened ability to access openness and receptivity – to not only to lean in and share, but also to absorb and learn. Tech is a rapidly changing space, where new challenges frequently arise and continuous learning becomes crucial. Our education pillar accelerates learning by offering the opportunity to tap into collective wisdom, share with and learn from our peers, and give an educational experience unattainable elsewhere. Event Pillars Family Small, intimate groups of members from your core community come together to share experiences, create memories and forge deep friendships. Each month a “FAMILY” event will be on offer for you to attend. Experiences may be with geographically located members, or nationally spread. Village Events specifically curated for your community (Canopy, Summit, Horizon, Aurora) filled with themes, topics and conversations relevant to your current set of experiences. A number of opportunities to connect with your village are peppered throughout the year. Tribe An opportunity to connect with the entire Innovation Bay community – where all four communities  come together – from seed – later stage founders and CEOs, angel investors and VC partners. We run 2+ major event opportunities per calendar year and a number of more casual catch ups throughout the year.