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Future Founders Bursary

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The Future Founders Bursary provides fully funded support for young people aged 15-18 years to access business education and networking opportunities.

Are you aged 15-18 years and already dream of turning your business ideas into reality?

The Future Founders Bursary enables young people who want help to start their entrepreneurial journey to access support for free.

Why you should apply

The Future Founders Bursary provides free access to opportunities that will help kickstart your idea and build networks.

A bursary will allow you to:

  • learn directly from experienced entrepreneurs
  • build key business skills in creative problem solving, business planning and marketing to grow your business idea
  • open doors, connect and be inspired by networking with other entrepreneurs.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible to apply for the Future Founders Bursary, you need to be:

  • a young person aged 15-18 years in 2026
  • a resident of Brisbane or attend a school in Brisbane
  • creative, curious and have an idea for a business you'd like to start.

Programs

A bursary provides young people looking to launch a business idea with free access to one of 2 programs to be run during 2026. 

By participating in one of these programs, you will:

  • learn from experienced guest speakers
  • meet and network with like-minded peers
  • gain key skills such as:
    • market research and interpretation
    • critical thinking and self-organisation
    • communication, collaborative decision making and presentation skills
    • marketing and web design.

This is a 12 month program starting in February 2026 for motivated young people looking to launch a business idea.

By completing this program you will:

  • earn a Certificate IV in Entrepreneurship and New Business (BSB40320)
  • obtain 2x digital credentials in Empathy and Creativity, which provide evidence of your skills and provide university credit at approved universities.

Program structure

  • 4x 8 week terms with 90 minute weekly online tutorials (4-5.30pm).
  • 1x full face-to-face immersive lab day at The Precinct, Fortitude Valley each term with industry mentors and university partners.
  • Engage in online content and then apply learnings in interactive weekly tutorials.
  • Learn from peers and build knowledge through experiential learning.
  • Each term participants will undertake a new learning module with topics covering creative problem solving, developing the solution, rapid business planning and getting to market. For further details on module content visit the Groei website.

Note: Participants will need to complete a Language, Literacy and Numeracy test before starting the program.

This is a 9 month program starting in Term 1 2026 for young people to build, launch or commercialise their business ideas.

By completing this program you will:

  • gain access to trained BOP facilitators and industry experts
  • participate in 6x full day workshops at WeWork, Brisbane City
  • have the opportunity to take part in a market experience.

Program structure

  • 6x full day workshops at WeWork, Brisbane City during school holidays. Workshops will take place on: 9 and 16 April, 2 and 9 July, 24 September and 1 October 2026.
  • Workshops will cover topics including customer identification, product design, sales platforms and pitching, branding and marketing, and business management.
  • A market stall opportunity in Term 3 where participants can sell products, conduct market research and test ideas on real customers.
  • Networking and community building with program participants and industry connections.

How to apply

Tell us about your vision! It could be a:

  • business idea
  • product you’d love to create
  • problem you’d like to solve.

Applications are now open for our 2026 bursaries. Applications close at 11.59pm, 30 November 2025.

Apply now

More information

For more information about this program:

Frequently asked questions

The bursaries are designed for young people who already have a business idea and are looking for support to get started.

If you’re curious but still exploring ideas, you may like to attend a Future Founders Forum to learn more about entrepreneurship from those who have been there before.

Email Council for information on upcoming forums.

Applications are open to young people who will be aged 15-18 years in 2026 and are based in Brisbane.

If you either go to school in the Brisbane local government area, or you live in the Brisbane local government area, you’ll be eligible to apply.