MAKING AN IMPACT
Some things are set in stone, the rest are written in chalk.
WATCH OUR
GROWTH JOURNEY
COMMERCIALISING SUCCESS
GROW A COMMUNITY
SCALE UP
WORK WITH THE BEST
OUR STORY
Stone & Chalk partners with experts, universities, investors, mentors, corporates and government organisations to bring the best of what is available externally to complement its own internal capabilities in meeting the commercialisation needs of startups and growth needs of scaleups. It is the combination of all these things that has helped Stone & Chalk’s residents, alumni, community and commercial partners achieve incredible outcomes in a very short period of time.
Founded in Sydney in 2015, Stone & Chalk began as the centre of gravity for Fintech. Emerging as a serious contributor to startup success and ecosystem building, we expanded to Melbourne to support Agtech, Medtech and deepen our footprint in Cybersecurity. In 2019, we expanded our community to Adelaide and have now established an Impact Network with both national and international reach across all emerging tech sectors.
We are committed to catalysing commercial success for startups and helping scaleups export through our curated communities and flagship programs.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to empower Founders to commercialise success and create an impact across our communities which transforms people, businesses, the economy and shape the future.
This requires a two-fold focus:
Help Australia’s best startups succeed by helping them successfully commercialise, rapidly scale, and
Help corporates and governments transform faster, cheaper & better by innovating from the outside-in with startups and scaleups
BESPOKE MENTOR MATCHING
Stone & Chalk’s unique value proposition is its unique focus on helping startups to commercialise and rapidly scale by leveraging the best of what the ecosystem has to offer.
CURATED COMMUNITIES
Today, Stone & Chalk has developed a world-class impact network to support startups and scaleups across all emerging industries.
ADVOCACY
Stone & Chalk believe that a balanced workforce makes for a better workforce. That is why we are proud to stand alongside some great organisations that are advocating for diversity and women’s rights in society and in the workplace. From Women of Colour, Women in Fintech program, Heads Over Heels, Springboard Enterprises, Spark Festival, Advance, Refugee Talent and TechFugees.
BEING A FORCE FOR GOOD IN SOCIETY
Stone & Chalk takes its mission and purpose seriously and operates under a very strong ethos of leading by example. Taking this one step further, Stone & Chalk has taken it upon itself to strive for B-Corporation (B Corps) Certification.
Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Corps are accelerating a global culture shift to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy.
MENTAL HEALTH/WELLNESS
We continue to focus on wellness and recreational activities in our communities. We regularly run mental health workshops, personal training, yoga, cooking lessons, as well as community-led special interest groups (e.g. table tennis, running, rowing, city walking etc)
OUR VALUES
ACT AS ONE
We know how hard it is to be a Founder and how the agile world of tech is creating a new future of work. We back each other, look out for and support our residents, corporate partners, team and the wider ecosystem. We create connections and community, not transactions and competitor behaviour
BE CHEERLEADERS FOR EACH OTHER
We help residents grow & succeed. We are each other’s cheerleaders so we all feel supported, believed, equipped and invested in by being part of S&C. We listen to ideas, fears and aspirations and do our best in resolving resident problems and adding value.
CULTIVATE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
We seek out creative challenges, explore new approaches, question deeper to constantly learn and display an unflagging energy to do things better, take risks, pushing the status quo, think and behave in unconventional ways to drive better business outcomes. We foster an environment for the entrepreneurial spirit to flow and we do it with a sense of fun and humour, as it turns out humour helps you think more broadly and creatively
DO THE RIGHT THING
We embrace the privilege of being a part of this community. We are honest and ethical in our work and thoughtful and caring in the way we communicate. We treat everyone with respect, valuing each other’s time, effort and contribution. We do what we say we will do, taking end-to-end ownership and responsibility
OUR SECTORS
Founded in Fintech in 2015, Stone & Chalk has since evolved to support the development of many verticals. Today, Stone & Chalk has developed a world class impact network to support startups and scaleups across all emerging industries.
Home to Fintech Australia, Insuretech Australia, the RegTech Association and the Blockchain Centre as well as all the core financial corporate partners. From Open Banking, Cryptocurrencies, Regtech and Insurtech to Blockchain, our community is the centre of gravity for Fintech
DEFENCE
With strong alliances across all tiers of government, we support the evolution of defence tech and facilitate the pathway to procurement through our partnerships
SPACE
Neighbours to the Australian Space Agency, we are core partners to the Space industry. Welcoming our first Space Tech residents, we partner with government and industry to champion the next frontier
AI
Alongside pioneering academic institutions, we support the development and applications of AI across all other tech arenas and facilitate the gateway for emerging talent in this space
CYBER
Home to Cyrise and working closely with the Cyber Security Centre, we are serious about security. Offering secure offices to residents and building a safe space for cyber collaborations, government and industry partnerships
MEDTECH
Home to Medtech Actuator and working closely with CSIRO and Data 61, we proactively cultivate the development of Medtech and support the channel into industry as customers and onto consumers
AGTECH
With key Alumni like Agridigital and home to Agtech associations like SproutX, we provide the foundation for Agritech to grow
DATA ANALYTICS & INSIGHTS
We understand that Digital innovation is an essential ingredient to Australia’s continued prosperity. The rising demand for data technologies is a growth opportunity for Australia, and we have residents leveraging data in multiple industry verticals and horizontals, such as: real estate, fintech, legal, insurance, cybersecurity and compliance
PROPTECH
Currently the real estate market is bigger than the ASX. Consequently, several companies are working to innovate in the way real estate is traded, managed, used and operated in Australia. Stone & Chalk startups are working with real estate data analytics, equity, mortgages, marketplaces, platforms and building
IOT (INTERNET OF THINGS)
Connected devices are impacting nearly every sector and industry in Australia. It holds the promise to have massive impact on productivity, economy, and social / community as well. Stone & Chalk supports companies with global ambitions, leveraging AI and IoT to propel innovation
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
As an ecosystem builder, Stone & Chalk recognises the importance of building strong startup communities and supporting regulation at Industry level. With residents such as Fintech Australia, Insurtech Australia, the Regtech Association, the Spark Festival, and others, we are able to be the voice of the Australian ecosystem in several sectors
BLOCKCHAIN
The adoption of blockchain technology in Australia is growing at a rapid pace, and Stone & Chalk residents are seizing the opportunity in sectors such as energy, crypto, data platforms, asset management and education
MEET THE TEAM MAKING IT HAPPEN
You need the right people in the right places. We have both. Our highly experienced management team has the expertise that innnovators and innovation partners need to succeed.
Alex Scandurra
CEO & the Hustler
He loves to jump out of perfectly good aeroplanes, he's the kind of optimistic adventurer that helps to keep surgeons in business; trail 1 - body 0
Marie-Anne Lampotang
General Manager, Sydney
In the process of eating her way through various countries around the world
Annie Le Cavalier
General Manager, Melbourne
Has the world's biggest dressup collection, a heart of gold and mum learning to master the juggle
Chris Kirk
General Manager, Adelaide
He has cycled solo from the pacific to atlantic across America and still boasts the best haircut at Stone & Chalk
Mary Ramsay
Head of Innovation Programs
Famous for her ability to turn any worthwhile idea into a success story, wears her heart on an Irish sleeve
Kristina Singh
Head of Events
She grooves her way through night and day. Where the bass is at, Kristina's at! #BOOM
Jenny Tian
Head of Ops and Tech
When it comes to food, there is nothing this lady wont try. She also believes that you can never spend too much money on books and travel
Claire Sawyers
Head of Product
Holds a Masters in "less is more". As the intellectual of the team, she speaks fluent cat, loves tea and regularly binge-reads
Gemma Cosgriff
Head of Partnerships
The endurance athlete who is willing to go the extra mile and then, well, she just keeps on going...
Cheryl Mack
Head of Community
A crazy Canadian who’s on a mission to try every wine in Australia and has way too many tech toys
OUR CURATED COMMUNITIES
We're where you need to be.
SYDNEY
Sydney is our first location and the home and hub for fintech innovation, and increasingly, emerging tech innovation in Australia
Sydney Startup Hub Level 4, 11 York Street Sydney NSW 2000
Google MapsMELBOURNE
Partnering with LaunchVic at the Victorian Innovation Hub, we are home to Founders from all tech sectors. Our resident accelerators include SproutX - Agtech, Cyrise - Cyber, Medtech Actuator - Medtech and Barayamal - Indigenous entrepreneurship
Victorian Innovation Hub 710 Collins Street Docklands VIC 3008
Google MapsADELAIDE
Our new home of entrepreneurship, at Lot Fourteen in partnership with FIXE, is home to over 130 entrepreneurs across all emerging tech industries with a focus on Cleantech, Space, Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence and Defence
Lot Fourteen North Terrace Adelaide SA 5000
Google MapsWith homes across three states, Stone & Chalk’s communities are built on the strengths of each state and city. We are now home to over 800 full-time residents and partners, becoming part of our Impact Network is the perfect place for you to start, scale and grow your business.
Located in the heart of each city - our spaces balance rustic aesthetics with technology. We provide an inviting contrast between work and play, while being architecturally-designed to promote connection and collaboration between teams, team mates, partners, investors and customers.
Much more than just a physical space operator, Stone & Chalk is the largest dedicated startup and scaleup innovation community in Australia with hubs in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.
Residents, commercial and community partners become a part of a national impact network. Residents and alumni in Sydney are able to work from any location as well as participate in any Stone & Chalk program nationally and access investors, mentors or customers from across Australia.
Stone & Chalk provides a full-service model of innovation services to early stage technology companies, corporates and government.
Contact us for a tour of your nearest
Stone & Chalk location.
Stone & Chalk location.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Leona Murphy
Chair
Is Chair of Stone & Chalk and Chair of Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital Foundation. Leona is also a board member of Liberty Financial, RACQ Group and is a former senior executive of IAG Group with over 30 years experience in the insurance industry.
Ian Pollari
Director
A non-executive Director at Stone & Chalk Ian is Partner and Sector Leader for KPMG, and Co-Lead for Fintech Globally.
Aris Allegos
Director
A non-executive Director at Stone & Chalk and is a co-founder and the CEO of Moula one of Australia’s leading non-bank lenders. Aris was also previously a Director at Credit Suisse and Nomura.
Ronald Arnold
Director
A non-executive Director at Stone & Chalk, Ronald leads the Ventures function in IAG with key investments globally - the leading insurer in Australia and New Zealand with strong interests in Asia.
Anthony Eisen
Director
A non-executive Director at Stone & Chalk and is currently the Executive Chair and CEO of Afterpay. Anthony has over 20 years’ experience in investing, building companies, maintaining public company directorships and providing corporate advice across a variety of sectors with a special focus in financial services and technology.
Debra Taylor
Director
A non-executive Director at Stone & Chalk, Debra has been an entrepreneur in the fintech space for over 25 years. Debra has founded over 10 startup businesses ranging from telcos, electronic payments and fintech.
Caroline Trotman
Director
A non-executive Director at Stone & Chalk, Caroline has been a resident at Stone and Chalk for the past 2 years. Stone and Chalk has been instrumental in WordFlow’s growth from a startup to a scaleup company.
Richard Kimber
Director
A non-executive Director at Stone & Chalk who is also the CEO & founder of Daisee, an Australian AI software company that builds cutting edge applications for contact centres. Richard is a former CEO of FirstDirect Bank in the Uk and MD of Google in Australia.