Rohit Bhargava On Bringing Acceleprise To Australia In 2018

By Rohit Bhargava

In a 2018 Medium post titled "Why we are bringing Acceleprise to Australia," Rohit Bhargava set out his thinking behind importing a US-based B2B and enterprise SaaS accelerator to the local market. The move saw him partner with entrepreneur Adir of Catapult Sports and work alongside Acceleprise US Managing Director Michael Cardamone, bringing an established international program model to Melbourne.

The Australian program was structured to invest $75,000 for 7.5 per cent, with its first Melbourne cohort running in 2018. For Rohit, the focus was on supporting B2B and enterprise SaaS companies at an early stage, a category with its own distinct needs compared to consumer startups. The decision drew on his deep involvement in the Australian startup community and his experience watching local founders build and scale technology companies.

That ecosystem perspective runs through much of Rohit's work. He is the host of The Startup Playbook Podcast, where he interviews founders, investors and industry experts about how they got started, the strategies they used and their advice to entrepreneurs. The podcast launched in 2016 and has featured guests including Paul Bassat of Seek and Square Peg Capital, Ash Maurya of Lean Canvas, and Justin Dry of Vinomofo. That ongoing conversation with operators and investors informs how Rohit sees the gaps worth filling in the market.

Writing around the same period, Rohit was candid about his own relationship with work. He has said he is "terrible when it comes to work-life balance" and tends to make excuses to avoid travel or holidays because of work deadlines. It is a reflection that sits alongside his later work on founder wellbeing through The Komo Club, the program he went on to build around the health, energy and clarity of the people leading companies.

Bringing Acceleprise to Australia reflected a consistent thread in Rohit's work. He sees an opportunity in connecting international frameworks and expertise with Australian founders, whether through an accelerator, a podcast or an investment syndicate. His experience across Playbook Media and Playbook Ventures continues to centre on supporting early-stage technology companies and the people building them.