Latitude 37: $100K, No Equity, and a Shot at Building Something Global
- 10 hours ago
- 3 min read
Airwallex is backing the next generation of young Australian AI founders. Applications are open now.
At our VentureUp Incubator launch night, we had the privilege of hosting Taylor Fox-Smith from Airwallex, who shared the story behind one of the most exciting opportunities for young Australian founders right now: Latitude 37.
If you're 25 or under, building something with AI at its core, and ready to think globally from day one — this is worth your attention.
What is Latitude 37?
Latitude 37 is a new program from Airwallex designed to accelerate young Australian founders building AI-focused products, services, or business models.
The name comes from Melbourne's latitude — 37° South — the city where Airwallex was founded. It's a nod to the idea that world-changing companies can be built from Australia, not in spite of being here, but because of it.
The program is backed by Airwallex co-founders Jack Zhang and Lucy Liu, alongside an advisory council that includes Paul Bassat (Square Peg), Michael Tolo (Blackbird), Jackie Vullinghs (Airtree), and leaders from UNSW Founders, the Melbourne Entrepreneurial Centre, and the University of Melbourne.
What You Get
This isn't a symbolic endorsement. It's a real support designed to help you build:
💰 $100,000 GrantNo equity. No debt. The grant is yours to deploy however you need — runway, hiring, infrastructure — so you can stay focused on building.
✈️ Two International Trips Intensive trips to San Francisco and Singapore — two of the world's most concentrated AI and tech ecosystems. You'll meet investors, founders, and customers who can accelerate your progress.
🔑 Access to the Airwallex Ecosystem: Mentors, domain experts, potential investors, and customers from across the Airwallex network. Doors that would otherwise take years to reach.
Who Should Apply
Latitude 37 is looking for founders who meet the following criteria:
AI is central to your product, service, or business model
You're aged 25 or under at the application deadline
You're an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or have local roots
You're an early stage — you haven't raised more than $1,000,000 in external funding
You don't need a finished product. You need sharp thinking, relentlessness, and the scale of your vision. The program is backing people, not just ideas.
The Judging Criteria
Applications will be assessed on three things:
Your founder mindset — Sharp thinking, relentlessness, and the scale of your vision. They're backing people, not just ideas.
The big, audacious idea — The strength and originality of what you're building. What do you understand about the AI space that others don't?
Your story so far — What you've already done, however early. Users, product, insight. Evidence that you build, not just think.
Why This Matters
At the launch night, Taylor Fox-Smith spoke about Airwallex's own journey — a company that started in Melbourne and is now one of Australia's most successful global fintechs.
The message was clear: you don't need to leave Australia to build something global. But you do need support, access, and belief — and that's exactly what Latitude 37 is designed to provide.
As Jack Zhang, Airwallex co-founder, puts it:
"Australia is one of the most important and underappreciated innovation hubs on earth. Its research universities rank among the best globally. Its founders learn to think creatively and globally from day one, because the market demands it. But building here isn't easy. Access to early capital is limited. Support often comes too late. And too many founders feel like they need to leave to build something global.
At the same time, we are in the midst of one of the most profound platform shifts of a generation, with the acceleration of artificial intelligence. The founders who understand this moment will define the next era. It's important to me that Australia leads the way."
Key Dates
Milestone | Date |
Application deadline | 28 June 2026 (11:59 pm AEST) |
Interviews | July 2026 |
Selection outcome | Early August 2026 |
Kick-off (Melbourne) | 28 August 2026 |
San Francisco trip | 12–14 October 2026 |
Singapore trip | 13–15 January 2027 |
Demo Day (Sydney) | 29 January 2027 |
Apply Now
If you're a young Australian founder building with AI and ready to think big, this is your shot.
$100K. No equity. Global access. A cohort of ambitious founders building alongside you.
📅 Applications close: 28 June 2026
