Interning or working at a startup can be an incredibly rewarding way to kickstart your career. At a startup, you're more than just a cog in the wheel – you're in a dynamic place where what you do really matters and can visibly impact the business.
In such an environment, you're not limited to one role. You'll have the chance to tackle a variety of tasks, helping you build a wide range of skills that are crucial for your future career path.
Admittedly, we might be a bit biassed, being a startup ourselves. But if you're a student or recent graduate looking to make a mark, we highly recommend keeping startups in your sights!
Wondering which startups to consider? Here's our list of the top 10.
In case you live under a rock, Canva is an incredibly user-friendly website and app that turns anyone into a designer. It's all made possible by its extensive library of templates, which users can effortlessly customise to their needs. No need for any prior skills or experience – just drag-and-drop away and you’ll have a professional-grade design in no time.
Canva was founded by University of Western Australia students in 2007 as an online school yearbook business. The rest is history, as they say: 85 million users in 190 countries and a global workforce of over 3000 at last count.
"Pay is competitive, and free breakfast/lunch is a great bonus." - Graduate, Sydney
"Every new hire gets a mentor for the first 6 months to help with onboarding and answer any questions they have." - Graduate, Sydney
Also, check out some real stories from grads who work there!
Airwallex is a fast-growing fintech company that provides payment and financial services. The app simplifies and streamlines cross-border transactions, eliminating hidden fees and complex bureaucracy often associated with traditional banking services.
Airwallex was founded in 2015 by four alumni of the University of Melbourne who recognised the challenges that businesses face when dealing with international payments. They sought to create a platform that provides businesses with the ability to send and receive payments in different currencies, access competitive foreign exchange rates, and manage their global finances more efficiently.
"I'm encouraged and empowered by my team to take on new and exciting initiatives and make them my own." ---- Clive Chikuku, Business Analyst
"I get to do work that matters and be involved across all areas of the business. Casual dress every day is a plus too!" - Krystle Lim, Legal Counsel
Born out of a garage in regional Australia, SafetyCulture is a company that creates apps and tools that help people working in high-stakes environments (think: factories and construction sites) stay safe and do their jobs well.
Think about it like this: if you're helping build a skyscraper, there are lots of safety rules and quality standards to keep track of. SafetyCulture's apps are like a digital guide that reminds you of all of this so you can focus on doing your best work.
Their work may not sound glamorous but it’s definitely impactful. Currently, 70,000+ organisations use their platform in over 180 countries around the world.
"One of the best things about SafetyCulture… is the fact that diversity is such an easy opportunity for us." - Employee, Sydney
"SafetyCulture is always concerned about work-life balance. They are always concerned about how my family is going…" - Employee, Sydney
Founded in Melbourne, Culture Amp is a platform used by companies all over the world to help their employees grow and be happier at work. Imagine it like a digital toolbox that lets employees and their bosses talk more easily, set and track goals, and give each other feedback regularly.
Culture Amp is also about making sure everyone feels included and understood at work. It listens to what employees have to say, helps them give and get feedback, and works on making the workplace better and more engaging. This is really important because when people feel heard and valued, they're more likely to stay with a company and do their best work.
Lots of companies around the world use them, including the likes of Airbnb and Slack!
"I joined Culture Amp ‘cause I’m looking for an organisation who’s gonna celebrate the totally of who I am not only as a professional but also too as the one who’s coming to this space with intersecting identities." - DeMario Bell, Community Manager
"When I saw the mission, I was very drawn to it and everyone here kind of lives that mission and you see it like it permeates through everyone’s work." - JR Clark, Sr. Revenue Enablement Manager
Campaign Monitor is a platform that makes it easy for businesses to connect with people through email. With Campaign Monitor, businesses can create beautiful email newsletters, set up email campaigns that automatically send messages at the right time, and also test different emails to see which ones work best.
Founded by a couple of mates in a garage in Sydney, Campaign Monitor has since expanded to have offices in San Francisco, London, and New York City.
"Excellent health care and peripheral benefits." - Employee review
"Although the company is always changing I have generally had a good experience working here." - Employee review
Powerledger is an energy trading company that uses blockchain to connect people to renewable energy markets worldwide. They have two tokens, POWR and Sparkz, which make it safe, clear, and easy for users to trade energy.
Powerledger wants to change the energy industry by offering different solutions. For example, they allow people to trade energy directly with each other, help manage goals for using more renewable energy, and test out systems that use blockchain to distribute energy and water. The company has a team of talented professionals who are dedicated to making a positive impact on the energy sector by being innovative and sustainable.
Hireup is Australia's largest NDIS-registered platform, offering over 10,000 employed, well-trained, and verified support workers for people with disabilities to manage and hire their own support staff. Hireup directly employs its support workers, setting it apart from other service-based sites.
Hireup's mission is to provide people with disabilities greater access and choice to high-quality support workers while leveraging technology to facilitate these connections.
"Pay is great and overnight stays are amazing as well." – Employee review
Lendi Group is one of the fastest-growing fintech start-ups in Australia, specialising in the home loan industry. It uses advanced technology to match customers with loans from over 25 major lenders, making it easy to compare, choose, and complete home loans online.
The company's platform is supported by a team of Home Loan Specialists who help customers get approved for home loans. The company aims to transform the property financing journey into a seamless and stress-free experience for all involved.
"Base salary is a bit low, but the commission structure will reward hard workers." - Employee review
"The workplace culture is by far the most attractive aspect of working at Lendi." - Employee review
Desygner is a global creative solution platform for design & branding, providing businesses of all sizes with an easy-to-use design automation platform to create, store, and distribute professionally designed digital assets.
Founded in Australia in 2016, Desygner has grown rapidly and now serves over 30 million users and 200,000 business subscribers worldwide.
Its technology enables large businesses to achieve unified brand management for design and communication, with a centralised brand portal, partner portal, Digital Asset Management (DAM) tool, and employee & customer engagement solutions ensuring global content governance and auditability.
"I received a massive support from the Executives, as well as a lot of freedom in building new strategies." - Employee review
"The level of professionalism is high, and the work environment is conducive to personal and professional growth, with ample opportunities for career advancement." - Employee review
Believe it or not, start-ups also occasionally emerge in the traditional world of finance! Barrenjoey – a home-grown investment banking start-up – combines the agility of a start-up with the acumen of seasoned industry experts from the likes of UBS.
Like its more established rivals, the firm helps big clients (think: corporations and governments) with their most complex financial challenges, ranging from mergers and acquisitions to capital raising. What sets Barrenjoey apart is the fact that it’s mostly staff-owned, which likely explains its more youthful culture.
[Pros] "Culture, part of growing business, working with the best in the market" - Employee review
[Cons] "No international mobility options, restricted to Australia" - Employee review
Start-ups aren’t just exciting; they also tend to be approachable!
If any of the start-ups in this list piqued your interest, just reach out to an employee directly on LinkedIn. Don't be shy to send a message and ask questions.
This could be your chance to learn more and maybe even find a cool job or internship. Remember, in the start-up world, being bold and showing your interest can really pay off!