Melbourne, Victoria
Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria, a coastal state home to more than 2,600 newly founded companies and a startup sector that rivals its tourism sector in size.
Melbourne, Victoria
Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria, and Australia’s second-largest city. Focused around a central city. Greater Melbourne’s area of approximately 9900 km2 of suburbs spread more than 40 km to the south, 30 km to the east, 20 km to the north and sprawl across vast, flat basalt plains to the west. Melbourne is Victoria’s capital city and the business, administrative, cultural and recreational hub of the state.
Ever changing, ever evolving – Melbourne’s merchants, creatives and cultural wunderkinds never sit still for long. With a revolving carnival of new coffee joints and dining rooms, pop-up stores, laneway galleries, outdoor adventures and street level speakeasies catching the collective imagination, there’s always a new corner of the state waiting to be explored.
Things to do in Melbourne
Explore the Queen Victoria Market
Visit the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
Take a drive down the Great Ocean Road
National Gallery of Victoria
Explore Melbourne's Laneway Icons
Spend a day at Melbourne Zoo
Take a hike through Steavenson Falls
Experience Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre
Why Melbourne?
Australia is the beating heart of Oceania’s thriving entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Early-stage funding has grown in Oceania by 80% in recent years, accompanied by 50% growth in $50 million+ exists. Australia, home to the top two ranked startup ecosystems on the continent, is at the centre of this growth. Sydney, ranked #1 in the region and #20 in the world, is the largest – with Melbourne close behind as an up-and-coming entrepreneurship hub.
Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria, a coastal state home to more than 2,600 newly founded companies and a startup sector that rivals its tourism sector in size.
Already home to one of the most educated workforces in the country, Melbourne is projected to become the largest city in the country by 2031. Its universities are world-class, making it a hotspot for talent. The University of Melbourne is Australia’s highest-ranked university and #37 in the world. RMIT University ranked #2 in the world for research that has impacted the development of Blockchain technology, and its Blockchain Innovation Hub is the world’s first research center focused on the social science of Blockchain.
The state government is also sending positive signals about entrepreneurship. AU$484.5 million ($361 million) is allocated through 2025 towards new job creation initiatives, with dedicated funds for small business services and support initiatives and funds to revitalize Melbourne’s central business district. The AU$2 billion ($1.49 billion) Breakthrough Victoria Fund is investing in projects in health and Life Sciences, Advanced Manufacturing, digital technologies, Agtech & New Food, and clean economies.
Covid-19 Guidelines
With borders reopened, the Global Entrepreneurship Congress organising committee is excited to welcome you to Melbourne. We will be following Victorian government Covid-19 guidelines. With travel resuming across Victoria, we hope to see you there in person. Please remember to #travelkind. Visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au for updated Covid-19 information.
