Small business accelerator, Seedlab Australia, has selected the latest cohort of ambitious entrepreneurs for Bootcamp 11, and opened applications for Bootcamp 12, continuing its mission to support the growth of early-stage FMCG businesses across Australia and New Zealand.
Founded by Dr. Hazel MacTavish-West, Seedlab has helped hundreds of early-stage businesses by providing the tools, knowledge, and connections needed to refine their businesses, brands and value propositions, secure major retail partnerships, and navigate the complexities of growth within the competitive FMCG market.
The program has been strongly supported by investors including Woolworths, which has contributed more than $12 million in total to Seedlab.
Bootcamp is the organisation’s six-week intensive program, aiming to equip founders with essential business fundamentals, strategic insights, and a supportive community, to help them refine their offerings and prepare for scalable success.
Seedlab Australia’s COO, Kenna MacTavish, highlighted the significant number of first-to-market products that stand out in Bootcamp 11, reflecting the evolving landscape of consumer demand.
“We’re seeing a surge in locally manufactured, innovative products entering the market, which is both exciting and challenging for emerging brands. Bootcamp is specifically designed to help these businesses refine their value propositions and ensure they are set up for long-term success,” said MacTavish.
“We’re seeing more FMCG trends from overseas influencing Australian and New Zealand markets, from flavoured beef jerky to creatine supplements and brain-boosting drinks. This growing focus on wellness presents both opportunities and challenges, particularly in scaling sustainably while maintaining product efficacy.
One of the strongest trends in the latest Bootcamp cohort is the rise of wellness-focused brands. Businesses like snack bar brand, Bar None, gym supplements, Crayv, and superfood alternative to chocolate mixing powders, Crunchio, are redefining nutrition with bioactive, plant-based formulations. Meanwhile, the hangover-fighting Dodge and non-alc botanical drinks, Purple Universe are tapping into functional beverages, offering science-backed solutions for hydration and recovery.
Seedlab Australia stated it was continuing to refine its approach, ensuring Bootcamp participants are better positioned for Cultivate, the next stage of the organisation’s accelerator program. The latest iteration of Bootcamp places a stronger emphasis on communication and customer journey mapping, helping founders shift their focus from product development to market engagement.
“Early-stage businesses often have those ‘a-ha’ moments in Bootcamp, realising they need to tighten up their business structures or intellectual property. By focusing on communication and customer experience, we’re helping them think beyond the product to build and maintain a loyal customer base,” said MacTavish.
As Bootcamp 11 gets underway, applications for Bootcamp 12 are now open, and close on 23 May. For more information and to apply, head to seedlabaustralia.com.au.
