Our Team


Our Team

Read the Student Startup Funding Report

Fuelled by the surge of student-led startups, we aim to empower and support the next wave of student entrepreneurs

Who we are

“Frustrated with the lack of support for student founders”

“Frustrated with the lack of support for student founders”

Australian universities are experiencing a significant yet unnoticed cultural shift, marked by a rapid increase in students spearheading innovative startups. This surge in entrepreneurial spirit is driving grassroots innovation within the educational ecosystem.

Only the students will know which friend is creating the next Immutable in stealth, which corner of the library the next Atlassian is being built, or which club the next Propeller Aero has been founded. And who will better empathise, understand, and serve student founders than students and a fund that is built purely for student founders?

As a result, NextGen Ventures was born. Australia’s first student-run venture capital fund.

Australian universities are experiencing a significant yet unnoticed cultural shift, marked by a rapid increase in students spearheading innovative startups. This surge in entrepreneurial spirit is driving grassroots innovation within the educational ecosystem.

Only the students will know which friend is creating the next Immutable in stealth, which corner of the library the next Atlassian is being built, or which club the next Propeller Aero has been founded. And who will better empathise, understand, and serve student founders than students and a fund that is built purely for student founders?

As a result, NextGen Ventures was born. Australia’s first student-run venture capital fund.

Our Values

Founders at the Forefront

Every unicorn starts somewhere, and what better place than at university. We founded NextGen in 2023 to give every student founder the support they have been missing to actualise their dreams. Now, we need the entire ecosystem to join arms place these young, talented Australians at the forefront and push the ecosystem forward. Let's support their grit and ambition, and strive for greater heights.

Founders at the Forefront

Every unicorn starts somewhere, and what better place than at university. We founded NextGen in 2023 to give every student founder the support they have been missing to actualise their dreams. Now, we need the entire ecosystem to join arms place these young, talented Australians at the forefront and push the ecosystem forward. Let's support their grit and ambition, and strive for greater heights.

Founders at the Forefront

Every unicorn starts somewhere, and what better place than at university. We founded NextGen in 2023 to give every student founder the support they have been missing to actualise their dreams. Now, we need the entire ecosystem to join arms place these young, talented Australians at the forefront and push the ecosystem forward. Let's support their grit and ambition, and strive for greater heights.

Embrace Discomfort and Curiosity

We have a strong passion to grow and so we actively seek discomfort to help us constantly broaden our horizons and deepen our understanding of the world around us. We let curiosity drive us forward - always asking and doing more - seeking to make a postive impact on all those around us.

Embrace Discomfort and Curiosity

We have a strong passion to grow and so we actively seek discomfort to help us constantly broaden our horizons and deepen our understanding of the world around us. We let curiosity drive us forward - always asking and doing more - seeking to make a postive impact on all those around us.

Embrace Discomfort and Curiosity

We have a strong passion to grow and so we actively seek discomfort to help us constantly broaden our horizons and deepen our understanding of the world around us. We let curiosity drive us forward - always asking and doing more - seeking to make a postive impact on all those around us.

Being Bullishly Ambitious

We're bullishly ambitious about reaching our goals, and with a positive mindset, we remain determined to overcome any obstacles that stand in the way of success. The NextGen family is just as passionate about seeing others succeed and are very, very hungry for impactful change.

Being Bullishly Ambitious

We're bullishly ambitious about reaching our goals, and with a positive mindset, we remain determined to overcome any obstacles that stand in the way of success. The NextGen family is just as passionate about seeing others succeed and are very, very hungry for impactful change.

Being Bullishly Ambitious

We're bullishly ambitious about reaching our goals, and with a positive mindset, we remain determined to overcome any obstacles that stand in the way of success. The NextGen family is just as passionate about seeing others succeed and are very, very hungry for impactful change.

Built by Students

For Student Founders

Mitchell Hughes

Founding Partner

Monash University

Jerry X'Lingson

Founding Partner

University of Melbourne

Ikya Thearam

Head of Growth

Monash University

Varad Chaudhari

Investment Principal

University of Melbourne

Ashwin Krishna

Investment Principal

Monash University

Vishaak Gangasandra

Investment Principal

Univeristy of Queensland

Vishaak Gangasandra

Investment Principal

University of Queensland

Viveca Tang

Investment Principal

University of Sydney

Donald La

Investment Associate

University of Melbourne

Jasper Meckel Photo

Jasper Meckel

Investment Associate

University of Melbourne

Kayson Wang

Investment Associate

University of Melbourne

Jamal Baba

Investment Associate

Monash University

Ryhan Joshi

Investment Associate

Monash University

Isabel Barton

Investment Associate

University of Queensland

Emily Ho

Investment Associate

University of Queensland

Jamyson Gouveros

Investment Associate

UNSW

Yash Kolli

Investment Associate

UNSW

Rodger Liang

Investment Associate

UTS

Joanne Lim

Investment Associate

University of Sydney

Shae McKenna

Investment Associate

University of Sydney

Will Gerard

Design Director

University of Adelaide

Brian Choi

Events Director

University of Melbourne

Jason Tan

Events Director

UNSW

Hannah Nowak

Marketing Director

Monash University

Presence across Australia's six major universities

Get Involved

Student Founder?

Express interest to be one of the first founders we back when we launch.

Ready to Pitch?

Interested Partner?

Express interest to partner, contribute to or hear when we launch our fund.

Join Launch