The centre has trained 50,000 entrepreneurs and helped create more than 1000 startups since 2017.
For 10 years, the Michael Crouch Innovation Centre (MCIC) on Kensington campus has been a driving force behind UNSW’s entrepreneurial success. Opened in 2015, the MCIC was the first dedicated innovation space at any Australian university, focused on empowering innovators, changemakers and startup founders.
On Thursday 27 February, the UNSW Founders team hosted Chancellor David Gonski AC, Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Attila Brungs, the Crouch family and Australia’s most influential leaders in innovation at the MCIC to celebrate this milestone.
The event was a showcase of the amazing startups and innovations that have been launched from the MCIC, like Forage and HEO Robotics. Attendees immersed themselves in the MCIC Makerspace with a virtual reality experience and trialling products from OOXii, Nuroflux and Charopy.
Attendees interacting with nuroflux – the world’s first safe, wearable, non-invasive brain activity blood flow monitor.
To mark the occasion, a portrait of the late Michael Crouch was unveiled as well as a bespoke wall acknowledging the power of philanthropy in empowering innovation at UNSW.
“Of all the things my dad did, this is one he would be most proud of,” George Crouch, Michael’s son, said.
Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Attila Brungs experiencing 10 years of MCIC through VR.
About MCIC and its impact
Founded in 2015 after a $10 million donation from Michael Crouch, the MCIC is home to UNSW Founders, who deliver the award-winning innovation programs and startup accelerators.
Since then, more than 50,000 people have been supported to turn their ideas into meaningful impact. The MCIC is now the home of innovation at UNSW and a hub dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs in the UNSW community, including students, staff, researchers and alumni. Through the Founders' free programs, the MCIC offers mentorship, coaching, networking opportunities, funding and support to anyone in the UNSW community as they develop their ideas and build their business.
“What’s unique about our space is we see a broad distribution of people, from all faculties and schools of the University,” said David Burt, Director of Entrepreneurship at UNSW.
MCIC’s commitment to diversity in entrepreneurship led to the creation of UNSW’s New Wave Program, an incubator designed to empower women founders. Since 2017, New Wave has supported more than 735 women entrepreneurs.
MC of the event and co-founder of Givvable, Frances Atkins, went through the New Wave program in 2019.
When the centre opened Michael Crouch set the ambitious challenge for it to be the best university-based innovation network in the Asia-Pacific by 2025. In 2024, UNSW Founders achieved that goal, receiving the Triple E award in Kuala Lumpur.
Mr Burt said he is proud of the community created within the MCIC.
“Our next goal is to be the world best university-based innovation network by 2035,” he said.
To date, UNSW Founders startups have raised more than $175 million in capital, created 500 new jobs and generated more than $750 million in enterprise value, cementing its role as a key driver of Australia’s innovation economy.
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