Amazon Australia is calling for Australian startups and brands with an innovative product and plans to scale their business to apply for a 2023 Amazon Launchpad Innovation Grant package. Each package is worth more than AU$90,000, with four Grant packages up for grabs. Here’s everything you need to know about how to apply.
What are the benefits of an Amazon Launchpad Innovation Grant?
Each Amazon Launchpad Innovation Grant package includes:
- $20,000 cash;
- The opportunity to apply for up to $10,000 in AWS Activate Credits;
- Out-of-home support nationally thanks to JCDecaux;
- Support provided by third-party experts Export Accelerator, Podean and Airwallex;
- A ‘Selling on Amazon’ bootcamp experience over two days in Sydney, Australia, with flights and accommodation provided for those based outside Sydney;
- Featured Seller placement on the Amazon Launchpad homepage during key events such as Prime Day and Black Friday; and
- Marketing, PR and merchandising opportunities throughout 2023.
This year, for the first time ever, ten finalists will be chosen to pitch their entry in person at Amazon Australia HQ in Sydney to a panel of judges for a chance to win one of four grant packages. This year’s judges are Kate Glazebrook, Head of Impact at Blackbird; Amit Mahto, Country Manager, Marketplace at Amazon Australia and Singapore; and Lauren Capelin, Startup Ecosytem Manager at Amazon Web Services.
Finalists will have the opportunity to hone their pitch, receive feedback and network with some of Australia’s leading founders and industry experts, with flights and a night’s accommodation provided for those based outside Sydney.
Businesses can apply here
Entries close at 11:59pm AEST on Friday 21 April 2023. Terms and conditions apply.
What is Amazon Launchpad?
“Amazon Launchpad is a unique program that helps Aussie startups and brands reach their online potential through access to Amazon’s customer base, opportunities to expand globally, gain access to marketing support and leverage our Fulfilment by Amazon logistics services,” said Amit Mahto, Country Manager, Marketplace at Amazon Australia and Singapore.
“The Innovation Grants initiative complements the Amazon Launchpad program, and will help four lucky winners scale their businesses to even greater heights. We are looking for entrants with products that best reflect and support the changing way of life in Australia, and who are ready to scale their businesses in 2023.
“Through our Amazon Launchpad Innovation Grants we are excited to be able to nurture the ingenuity that Aussie entrepreneurs are so famous for and help the winners expand their businesses to reach more sellers in Australia and around the world in Amazon’s stores.”
Rikki Gilbey, Founder of WAW Handplanes and 2020 Amazon Launchpad Innovation Grant Winner
What made you join Amazon as a seller?
The Amazon Launchpad program. Before the Amazon Launchpad Innovation Grants were announced, I didn’t know much about the Amazon Launchpad program, but once I learnt what it was all about, I saw it as a great way to begin our Amazon journey.
How did the Amazon Launchpad Innovation Grant help your business?
The grant helped in many ways. Amazon Launchpad gave our niche product, the BadFish bodysurfing handplane national exposure. It allowed us to gain mainstream media attention and help us take our product globally.
The cash component obviously relieved some financial pressures of production and marketing costs, but the real value was working with the Amazon team to build not only our Australian Amazon presence but also our US Amazon page. Expanding our business to the US through Amazon has helped us significantly, in that we now have a year-round revenue stream for very summer focused and seasonal product.
What were some of the best/biggest things your learned taking part in Amazon Launchpad?
I learnt of the potential that Amazon can offer a small startup business. It also taught me the value of automation. With Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA), you can store your products in Amazon's fulfilment centres and they pick, pack, ship, and provide customer service for your products. By using FBA, I’m able to spend more time working on other aspects of the business as well as finding more time to spend with my family and go surfing!
Another major benefit, I have experienced since joining Amazon Launchpad is the ease at which I could expand my business internationally. I’m still just one guy, working from home and I am currently running my business on 3 continents, soon to be four. And much of the success of that has been down to Amazon.
What advice would you give to a business owner contemplating whether to join Amazon as a seller?
If you’re looking to grow your business in a way that gives you more time to focus on the things that matter, the Amazon Launchpad program is for you - especially if you’re looking to expand your business internationally. What’s holding you back?
