(PROTOSTARS)
(PROTOSTARS)
(PROTOSTARS)
(PROTOSTARS)
(PROTOSTARS)
Protostars is a micro-grant program for young people with passion projects. We give young people under 25 from AU/NZ, $1000 to work on their passion projects!
We’re looking for wild young hearts with wild ideas!
We believe that cash, community, belief, and accountability are the keys to unlocking young people’s creativity and raising ambition.
We give young people in Australia/NZ aged 18-25 $1000 to work on their passion projects. We’re funding strange, quirky, ambitious, and downright audacious passion projects. A passion project can be anything. Think metaverse art exhibitions, battle bots, space drones, theatre shows, films, opera podcasts, a travelling STEM roadshow, apps, and more!
The program
Protostars is more than a cash grant. When you receive one of our grants, you also join a program and a community of next-gen worldbuilders, creatives, visionaries and innovators. Together, you create your passion projects, raise each other’s ambition, and hype each other up!
Eligibility
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1. You are aged 18-25 years old
2. You are based in Australia or New Zealand
3. You have a passion project
What to expect
When you receive a grant, you will join a cohort of like-minded creators for 8 weeks as you work together to launch and build your passion projects. Each week we catch up, learn from each other or special guests, build in public, and host virtual (or IRL) coworking sessions. You’ll also be invited to an IRL dinner during the cohort. At the end of the program, we’ll host a showcase to celebrate your progress.
Once the program is over, you’ll join the wider Protostars community. As a member, you’ll get exclusive access to funding, networking and social events and opportunities.
Hear it from our alumni
"I'm so glad to have this group to belong to and share our successes and not-so-successful moments too. I love reading about all the wonderful projects and my heart is so full knowing the beautiful and marvellous [stuff] everyone is getting up to! So freaking inspiring!"
"The best thing about Protostars is meeting a group of young people with similar crazy ambitions and seeing everyone's projects come to life!"
"I've never found quite a community that inspires me so much and pushes me to do my best. My two passions have never been more united and flared up as they have recently due to working on my project so much. Thank you for that!"
FAQs
Who can apply?
The grants are available to young people aged 18-25 and who are based in New Zealand or Australia. The only other thing is you must have a passion project.
What sorts of projects have you funded in the past?
The limit does not exist. We have funded all sorts of projects – underground zines, community gardens, podcasts, magazines, robots, films, theatre shows, go-karts, online communities, space drones, video games, card games and more! The more outrageous and odd, the better!
Are there any other conditions?
Not really. The program has been designed in such a way that you engage with it how you like: you get out what you put in. We won’t force you to do anything, but those who participate and engage regularly are the people who we see the most progress out of, and who build the most meaningful relationships with others!
When do applications open? When do they close?
We have three intakes per year, and we typically open applications in January, April, and August. Applications remain open for 4-6 weeks.
What is the application process?
Applications consist of both a written and video submission.
In the written application, we ask you to tell us about yourself, your interests, and your skills. We don’t care about your credentials; we look for people who embody our values: courage, curiosity, generosity, and ambition.
Once you’ve submitted your written application, we ask you to pitch your passion project to us in a 90-second video. You can’t hide passion, and we are looking for people whose vision for their project is contagious!
When applications close, we invite our panel of 7 judges to review and score all candidates. The top 30 projects will receive a grant and join the program.
How long does the program go for? And what is involved?
The structured program is 8 weeks. We have designed it to be centred around accountability, building community and relationships, and building confidence through creativity and experimentation.
A typical week at Protostars includes a virtual weekly catchup and a weekly build-in public update on our community platform, Circle. Across the program, we also host coworking sessions, dinners, 1:1 office hours, and guest lectures/AMAs.
You get out what you put in. We understand this is a passion project, so participate how you like. But to get the most out of the program and community, we recommend engaging with as many aspects of the program as possible.
What happens at the end of the program?
At the end of the structured program, you will remain a part of our community. As a community member, you’ll get exclusive funding opportunities open only to Protostars (like our Follow-on Fund). You’ll receive invitations to attend OR perform and showcase your work at Blackbird events like Sunrise and Moonrise. You’ll also receive invitations to community events in our main cities: Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne. We are adding more perks as we go, including discounts and free access to events, software, and more!
Want $1K for your passion project?
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