The Plus Eight Accelerator has confirmed nine startups for Phase Two of its milestone tenth cohort after an intensive opening phase of masterclasses, mentoring, and one-on-one coaching. Over the next eleven weeks, founders will continue to access weekly masterclasses, Entrepreneur in Residence sessions, and ongoing mentorship as they refine their business models and pitch readiness. The journey will include an international immersion trip to San Francisco and a final pitch at the Plus Eight Demo Night in November.
Seed Funding Pool Reaches A$1 Million
At the start of the year, the program announced A$700,000 in seed funding available to this cohort. The addition of the Spinifex Foundation as a new funding partner has lifted the combined seed funding pool to A$1,000,000, strengthening the capital available to participating founders. Continued support comes from partners including the Department of Energy and Economic Diversification, BetterLabs, Kaizen West, CFC Group, Hawaiian, Entrepreneur Trainer Andy Ford, DFK Gooding Partners, Insight Advisory Group, and K&L Gates.
Nine Ventures Advancing to Phase Two
The Phase Two cohort includes Romi, TradieScribe, RecruitMate AI, Momentify, TRUXE, OreNova Engineering, Ocean Hex, Semester Student Planner, and CaseMate. Their offerings address social connection, trades and construction reporting, recruitment automation, event content delivery, logistics optimisation, mineral processing, coastal infrastructure, student retention, and access to justice. This breadth reflects the accelerator's focus on supporting scalable solutions across both established industries and emerging technology-driven market segments.
A Closer Look at the Selected Founders
Romi is a real-life social platform for women built around hiking, helping members connect in person through shared outdoor experiences and form lasting friendships. TradieScribe uses a voice-first AI platform to turn spoken job notes into professional reports, quotes, and invoices within seconds for trades and construction businesses. RecruitMate AI automates sourcing, screening, and business development for recruiters, while Momentify reduces hours of wedding and event footage sorting to minutes with AI culling and delivery.
Founder Momentum Builds Through the Program
Founder Alice Abba said the program has pushed Romi's pitch, model, and growth story forward in a short period, with the San Francisco trip set to unlock global relationships and blue sky thinking. Imogen Blow shared that Plus Eight guided Momentify into a pivot toward a $500 million market and praised the balance of support and challenge. Brad Skajko added that support for growth and product development was invaluable as OreNova Engineering prepares for its North America tour.
San Francisco Immersion Opens Global Doors
In October, the founders will travel to San Francisco for an international immersion trip designed to expose them to global markets, capital, and networks. The itinerary includes meetings with Austrade, Silicon Valley Bank, and Plug and Play, connecting participants directly with institutions that shape how Australian startups scale internationally. These sessions are intended to help the cohort build relationships and test their expansion strategies in one of the world's leading startup hubs.
Demo Night Set for November
The program will conclude with Plus Eight Demo Night on Tuesday, November 10 at the Regal Theatre in Subiaco, where the cohort will pitch on stage to a room of investors, founders, and industry leaders. The event typically draws more than 400 registrations every year, and it consistently sells out ahead of the evening. Organisers are inviting people to register their interest now to be notified when tickets open.
With an AUD $1,000,000 seed funding pool, structured mentorship, expert guidance, and access to international networks, the nine Phase Two startups enter the next chapter with stronger foundations and clearer pathways to global growth. The San Francisco immersion and Demo Night will test their ability to convert early momentum into investor appeal, strategic partnerships, and market traction. For Western Australia's innovation community, the tenth Plus Eight cohort signals continued ambition to back founders with the skills and connections to compete internationally.