Pathfinders Program

Pathfinders program

For young builders who want to found the next generation of technology companies—this is your path in.

Ready to find your path?

Complete the EOI and we'll notify you when applications open for the next cohort.

Got a co-founder? Apply separately, link to each other on the form, and we'll review you as a pair.

I'm interested

Pathfinders opens the door to startups and venture capital for people who usually only see this world from the outside. We want to change that.

Over four weeks, you'll work on a real build—an Airtree brief or your own product—and get direct access to the Airtree team and the founders we back, while seeing first-hand how venture-backed companies get built from the ground up. Fridays mean co-working at our Sydney office, hearing from founders about what building really looks like and closing out with a demo night. You'll leave having built something real, with a peer network that outlasts the four weeks.

Who it's for

We're looking for people who've already started: writing code, building products, doing hackathons, working on side projects. The cohort is small by design: 16 people, serious about building or already building a company.

Open to anyone who's finished high school, up to age 23. You don't need to be at university.

Pathfinders runs in Sydney, in person, at the Airtree office in Surry Hills every Friday. Apply from anywhere, as long as you can travel in for those days.

Program overview

Four weeks: a kickoff, two lunchtime sessions, Fridays co-working at Airtree and a demo night to close it out.

Kickoff at Airtree: How VC works and what's happening in the ANZ startup ecosystem right now. Meet your cohort, form your pods and get the build brief.
Technical workshop: A hands-on session on building fast with the latest AI tools
Founder fireside: A candid conversation with a founder about their journey
Fridays co-working at Airtree: Work on your build alongside your fellow Pathfinders, Frontier founders and the Airtree investment team. Come as often as you can - the more you’re here, the more you'll get out of it.
Finale demo night: Demo what you've built to the Airtree investment team and external judges, and celebrate with your cohort.

What you get

Free to join. No catch.

In-person events with founders and operators
A community of builders and founders at the same stage as you
A real brief to work on over the program or space to develop your own idea
Fridays at the Airtree office - access AI can't generate and money can't buy
Become a Finder: refer a startup, and if we invest, you'll earn a bonus
LinkedIn accreditation on completion
Access to Airtree's talent network and future opportunities
Airtree merch

What our Pathfinders say

“Exceeded expectations. Going in I had an expectation that a lot of the content would be very introductory and surface level. I was wrong. Each session I walked away with new perspectives and fresh insights. I also loved the community and the deliberate effort to make this as much of a networking thing was a massive win."

– Fred Harris, Computer Science student

"Airtree Pathfinders is invaluable. The learning, combined with the calibre of people you meet, makes the experience an incredible privilege."

— Alexandra Pennay, International Business student

"Hands down the best program I've done while being at uni. It's the sort of content you wish they taught you in uni classes but hearing directly from founders, investors and operators themselves makes it so much more valuable. The rarity of the opportunity and having the chance to pitch in front of investors for one of Australia's biggest VCs is extremely unique and special."

— Max Epstein, Psychology student

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