RMIT Venture Mentoring Service (VMS) supports RMIT staff, students, and alumni who are embarking on research translation and entrepreneurial journeys.
RMIT Venture Mentoring Service (VMS) supports RMIT staff, students, and alumni who are embarking on research translation and entrepreneurial journeys.
RMIT Venture Mentoring Service (VMS) supports RMIT staff, students, and alumni who are embarking on research translation and entrepreneurial journeys.
RMIT VMS is a sister program of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) VMS and the first university in Australia to adopt the MIT model.
RMIT’s Venture Mentoring Service exists to support and guide high-potential RMIT staff, students, and alumni through their research translation and entrepreneurial activities with free and objective mentoring. This mission is based on a number of key understandings:
RMIT’s Venture Mentoring Service is a sister program to the prestigious MIT Venture Mentoring Service. Unlike other mentoring programs, RMIT VMS’s core focus is on delivering value to Mentors. Mentors not only receive exclusive training upon joining the program, they also connect with other high-calibre Mentors through a group mentoring model and networking events. By focusing on delivering the best experience for Mentors, the program creates a virtuous cycle of value that is ultimately passed on to the entrepreneur.
RMIT’s VMS Mentors are all unpaid volunteers.
| ANZ | Committee for Melbourne | KPMG Australia | SJS Strategy |
| ATMC Education Group | Corei Web | Mentorhub | Tank |
| Auslaser Business Solutions | CSIRO | Monash University | TickBox |
| Barons Medical Consulting | Daymark | NAB | Trajan Scientific and Medical |
| Biarri | Donovan Leadership | No to Violence | Transpire |
| BioRevive | Evans & Partners | Origin Energy | VidVersity |
| Brockhurst Consulting | FastTrack Recruitment & Staffing Software | Qualia Technology LTD | W3 Digital |
| businestorylab | Gloweave Consolidated Pty Ltd | RACV | World Vision Australia |
| Buzz Products | GrowthOps | Rare Birds Lab | YMCA Victoria |
| Capgemini | IBM iX | Red Cross Blood Services | |
| Career Money Life | Idea2Opportunity | Riggident | |
| carsales.com Ltd | Intellimedical Technologies | Salesforce | |
| Chandler Macleod | Kathmandu | Strategic Commercialisation Australia |
Our VMS Mentors are a community of passionate and experienced professionals. The value Mentors get out of VMS is so great that we have less than 1% attrition rate because they are so engaged in the program. The word spreads fast too - most new Mentors that enter the program have been recommended by existing Mentors. Here’s what some of them had to say about the program:
“Our team has a good mix of skills and people are respectful of each other’s contribution. We have just jelled and loved the experience!”
“I’ve loved our team; we have thoroughly enjoyed meeting each other and learning from each other”
“It is OUTSTANDING”
“VMS is invaluable to our business: amazing mentors help keep us focused on the right goals, and regular meetings ensure we're actually making progress”
“VMS really helped me to reframe my value proposition, get a shareholders agreement in place and practice my pitch"
“It’s challenging, scary and often vulnerable to sit in front of a team of experts, but the insights and reflection gained from experience cannot be matched"
“The initiative is one that is a must for all startups and scaling businesses”
For more information on the program, please email the team vms@rmit.edu.au.
The VMS Program is open to any RMIT affiliate (i.e. staff member, student, or alumni) embarking on an entrepreneurial or research translation journey. Some examples of current and past teams include:
Recovawear helps post-surgical patients regain independence and confidence by providing great looking adaptive clothing.
Team Timbuktu makes sustainable outdoors apparel, recycling plastic bottles into activewear, raincoats and clothing made for adventure.
Petzyo is shaking up the pet food industry with 100% natural, transparent, and eco-focused meal delivery.
ClassCom focuses on using technology like AI to deliver great student experiences, at scale.
Voice Story is a collaborative research project that supports the oral language development of learners through visual storytelling.
Dreamwalker Stories builds playful and immersive walking trail story-worlds that are centred around inspiring and powerful Indigenous stories.
Using integrated photonic chips, the team behind Photonics have achieved record breaking internet speeds and world-leading gyroscope development.
EDNA is a digital therapeutic application helping patients who have suffered a stroke by changing the way rehabilitation is delivered.
Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research Capability; Innovation Professor
Senior Manager, Research and Innovation Capability
For more information on the program, please email the team at:
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.
