The University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia, has a strong connection with the entrepreneurial and venture capital ecosystem. The university established the UNSW Founders program, aiming to inculcate a startup mindset among students and alumni, ultimately as part of its 2025 Strategy. It provides experiential learning and active support for startup ventures, one of the most comprehensive university startup launch programs in Australia.

One of the success stories from the UNSW is Canva, a graphic design platform co-founded by Melanie Perkins, a former student at the university. Canva started from a course project and is now a multi-billion dollar company. Another notable startup is Cohort Go, an edtech company that provides international students with cheaper ways to pay tuition, living expenses, and other fees, co-founded by UNSW alumni.

In the venture capital ecosystem, there are individuals connected to UNSW who have made significant strides. Among them is Andrea Gardiner, a UNSW alumna who founded Jelix Ventures, an Australian venture capital firm investing in tech companies. Dr. Larry Marshall, Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), an independent federal government agency responsible for scientific research in Australia, is also an alumnus of UNSW.

Furthermore, UNSW has a close relationship with the New South Innovations (NSi), a wholly-owned commercial arm of the university, which connects the research and technologies at UNSW with industry partners, entrepreneurs, and investors. Also, the Michael Crouch Innovation Centre is another initiative from UNSW. It offers a collaborative space where students can develop and launch startups.

With these initiatives and contributions, UNSW continues to foster entrepreneurship and innovation within its community, establishing it as a significant player in Australia's startup and venture capital ecosystem.