Take your research further with DiscoveryHUB, RMIT’s new pre-accelerator supporting researchers to explore the commercial potential of their work and turn promising ideas into real-world impact.
Join us to celebrate RMIT Activator’s new 20-week pre-accelerator, which will be delivered in partnership with RMIT’s Research and Innovation portfolio and has been made possible by Innovation Victoria. The program will support researchers working across DeepTech, AI and MedTech. Throughout the program they'll assess their ideas, explore commercialisation pathways and build skills to set them up for the next step.
Hear from research and innovation leaders and join our panel discussion, which will explore research translation, pathways into further research or ventures, products and partnerships.
Delivered by RMIT Activator in partnership with RMIT’s Research and Innovation portfolio, DiscoveryHUB gives RMIT-affiliated researchers a structured pathway to explore commercial opportunities, develop transferable innovation-based skills and build the connections needed to progress their ideas.
Whether you’re an early-career researcher considering the commercial potential of your work, an academic looking to support your team, or an industry or innovation partner interested in research-led ventures, this is an opportunity to learn more about DiscoveryHUB and the possibilities ahead.
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What to Expect
5:00pm – 5:30pm - Arrivals (doors close at 5.30pm)
5:30pm – Formalities Begin
5.45pm – Panel Discussion (From Lab to Launch: Building Research-Based Ventures) with Ellen Gonda, Jonathan Lacey & Shoaib Iqbal.
6.15pm – Closing Remarks
6.20pm – Networking
7.30pm – Event to Conclude
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About The Panelists
Ellen Gonda
Ellen, Co-Founder & CEO of GonGlobal, is on a mission to radically improve the ART/IVF patient experience and treatment success. Prior to co-founding GonGlobal, Ellen spent 25+ years as a strategic communications counsellor to global companies, startups and individuals. She held executive positions at Etsy, Hilton and The Carlyle Group. Her recognitions include World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, NEXUS Impact Society, Press Play cohort #1, UNSW Founders Health 10x, Westpac Accelerator Scholarship, TiE Women Melbourne 2026 winner, MedTech Actuator Global Pitch 2026 Showdown finalist.
Jonathan Lacey
Jonathan Lacey is co-founder and partner at Cruxes Innovation, which helps universities, research organisations, and innovative companies unlock the huge potential of Australian researchers and innovators to make a positive difference in the world. Jonathan started his career as a physical science and engineering researcher at the University of Melbourne. He spent 10 years in Silicon Valley where he helped other researchers make a difference in large companies and research spinouts. He returned to Australia to lead a spinout based on Monash University research. The focus of his career since then has been creating impact with research.
Shoaib Iqbal
Shoaib Iqbal is an aerospace entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of Esper Satellite Imagery, a Melbourne-based company manufacturing Earth observation satellites. An alumnus of RMIT University’s Space Science program, Shoaib transitioned his early university hackathon victories into a commercial space startup. Under his leadership, Esper builds hyperspectral imaging satellites that capture detailed chemical data of the Earth's surface using commercial off-the-shelf components.
About RMIT Activator
RMIT Activator's mission is simple: to deliver impact through entrepreneurship. Through its programs, initiatives and open innovation collaborations, RMIT Activator is empowering and equipping the next generation of entrepreneurs and established ventures with the capabilities to realise their potential and make a tangible impact.
Who's Making This Program Possible
DiscoveryHUB is supported by Innovation Victoria, an organisation strengthening Victoria’s startup and innovation ecosystem by helping more people turn great ideas into successful, scalable ventures. This support helps us create new opportunities for RMIT researchers to explore the commercial potential of their work and turn breakthrough research into ventures that benefit Victoria and beyond.