Fish Tank

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Applications to the 2024 Fish Tank are now open! 

Fish Tank is City of Unley’s flagship youth entrepreneurship program. Since 2016, Fish Tank has provided the opportunity for people 12 to 25 years of age to win a prize package to grow their business.

Young people who live, work, play or study in the City of Unley can apply. Your business can be in the early stages of operation, or still in the idea stage.

Applications are assessed against selection criteria by a judging panel. Finalists progress to the Pitch Night, and deliver a 3 minute pitch to the Fish Tank – a panel of judges – to win seed funding and business mentorship opportunities.   

Fish Tank is proudly a City of Unley program, with generous sponsorship and assistance from the Rotary Club of Unley, RAA, Tilbrook Rasheed Chartered Accountants, South Australian Business Chamber and the South Australian Department for Industry, Innovation and Science. 
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Apply for Fish Tank here!

Key Details

If you are intending on submitting an application for Fish Tank, we recommend we put the below dates in your diary.

Applications open

Wednesday 13 March 2024

Fish Tank Entrepreneurship Workshop
(Voluntary)

Tuesday 16 April 2024, 6pm – 8pm
Unley Oval Community Hub

Attendees will get the opportunity to learn more about entrepreneurship, hear from business leaders and young entrepreneurs and assist them to prepare their application forms.

Register via Eventbrite.

Applications Close

Sunday 19 May 2024 , Midnight

Finalists notified

Week commencing Monday 20 May

Presentation & Pitch Workshop (mandatory for all finalists to attend)

Saturday 25 May 2023, 1pm – 3pm
Fullarton Park Community Centre

Finalists will gain skills in public speaking and learn the art of pitching/ presenting.

Fish Tank, Pitch Night Event
(mandatory for all finalists to attend)

Thursday 6 June 2024 , 5.45pm for a 6pm start – 8pm
Unley Town Hall

 

Apply for Fish Tank here!

If you are a budding entrepreneur, sign up to the Living Young e-newsletter to receive notification of future Fish Tank rounds. 

If you are a mentor, educator or business leader interested in supporting Fish Tank, we encourage you to get in contact.
Contact us via email 

2024 Fish Tank Prizes and Judges

Fish Tank Judges:

  • Lisa Hall, Sustainability Specialist, RAA
  • Vivienne Pitman, Chartered Accountant, Tilbrook Rasheed Chartered Accountants
  • Zoe Tiffin, Founder Know My Fit and previous Fish Tank finalist
  • Elisa Luck, General Manager Programs and Accounting, South Australian Business Chamber

Fish Tank Prizes:

12 – 17 years

1st Prize – Futurepreneurs Academy mentoring package facilitated by entrepreneurial educator Sasha Dragovelic, including two x 2 hour mentoring sessions (valued at $780) + $500 seed money.

2nd Prize – Rotary Club of Unley business mentorship + $300 seed money.  

18 – 25 years

1st Prize – Business SA SAYES (South Australian Young Entrepreneur Scheme) 12 month workshop and mentoring program (valued at $1,600) + $500 seed money. 

2nd Prize – Business Advisory meeting with Vivienne Pitman, Partner Tilbrook Rasheed Chartered Accountants (1.5 hours valued at $500) + $300 seed money.

All Ages

RAA Sustainability Award – for the business idea which best considers environmental and social impact. Business mentoring sessions with Ben Flink, Senior Business Manager, Business Innovation, RAA (2 x 1 hour sessions) + $500 seed money

All finalists in the Fish Tank Pitch Night will receive a Living Young prize pack, participation certificate and gain access to the Eastern Region Alliance Advisory Service, providing access to three free one-on-one advisory sessions with experienced business advisors.

Judging Criteria and FAQs

I don’t live in the City of Unley, can I still apply?

You must live, work, study or play in the City of Unley to apply for Fish Tank. This means your school, place of study, sporting club, recreational club or workplace is located in the City of Unley. If you are unsure if you meet these requirements, please contact the Community Development Project Officer, Youth on pobox1@unley.sa.gov.au or 8372 5111.

See a map of the City of Unley.

How strict are the age requirements?

Entrants must be aged 12 to 25 years at the time of entry application.  

Can I apply as part of a duo or group?

Yes, applicants can apply as part of a duo or group providing the group is working on the same idea. Please note – prizes are awarded per idea, not per person.

How will applications be judged?

Applications to the Fish Tank program will be judged according to the following criteria:

IMPACT

What impact will your business idea or product have on the other people, the community, the environment and even the world?

INNOVATION

Is your business idea or product something new, different, and or existing?

CREATIVITY

Has imagination been applied to your business idea or product?

PRACTICALITY

Is your business idea or product actually possible?

BUDGET

Are the costs involved with your business idea or product realistic and achievable?

My business is already established, am I still eligible to apply?

Yes, if you have an established business you are still eligible to apply. However, you must be able to prove that you need the financial and mentoring support for your business or product to develop further.

My business is just an idea at this stage, am I still eligible to apply?

Yes, if you simply have a business idea you are eligible to apply. You must ensure that you explain the business idea in detail, in your application form.

I participated in a previous Fish Tank round, can I apply for another?

Yes, previous Fish Tank and Change Makers participants may submit an application.

When will I know if I am one of the finalists to attend the Pitch Night?

Finalists will be notified by email and phone week commencing Monday 20 May 2024.

I can’t attend the Fish Tank Entrepreneurship Workshop on Tuesday 16 April 2024, can I still submit an application form for Fish Tank?

Yes, you can still submit an application form. The Fish Tank Entrepreneurship Workshop is not mandatory to attend, however it will provide useful information about entrepreneurship and insights from special guest speakers. It will also assist you in preparing your application form.

If I am selected as one of the finalists to present at the Fish Tank Pitch Night and I can’t attend the Presentation & Pitch Workshop on Saturday 25 May 2024, can I still pitch my business idea at the live Fish Tank Pitch Night on Thursday 6 June 2024.

Unfortunately not, it is mandatory to attend the Presentation & Pitch Workshop if you have been selected as a finalist. If you are unable to attend the Presentation & Pitch Workshop, then you will forfeit your place in the competition. 

If I am selected as one to the finalists and I can’t attend the Fish Tank Pitch Night on Thursday 6 June 2024, can I still participate in Fish Tank?

Unfortunately not, it is mandatory to attend the Fish Tank Pitch Night if you have been selected as one of the finalists. If you are unable to attend the Fish Tank Pitch Night, then you will forfeit your place in the competition. 

Terms and Conditions

Fish Tank 2024

Terms and Conditions of Entry

The promoter is the City of Unley, 181 Unley Road, Unley SA 5061

Eligibility

  • Applicants must live, work, study or play in the City of Unley.
  • Applicants must be 12 to 25 years of age at the time of application. 
  • Applicants must complete the online application form on the City of Unley website.
  • Applicants can submit multiple applications for different business ideas, but each business idea must have its own application.
  • An application may be submitted for an existing business but the applicant must be able to prove that they need the financial and mentoring support for their business to develop further.
  • Previous Fish Tank 2016, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and Change Makers 2018 participants may submit an application.
  • Living Young Reference Group members may submit an application.
  • Applications close on Sunday 19 May 2024, Midnight.
  • Applications received after the closure date/time will not be eligible.
  • All applicants under the age of 18 must have the consent of a parent or guardian to enter the competition and who must agree to the terms and conditions on behalf of the applicant.
  • Applicants under the age of 18 who progress to the Fish Tank Pitch Night must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to the Fish Tank Pitch Night event.
  • Employees and Elected Members of the City of Unley and their immediate families, and agencies associated with the promotion are ineligible to enter.

How to Enter

  • Complete the online application form
  • Applicants must complete an image release form as part of their application. Applicants under the age of 18 must have the consent of a parent or guardian.
  • The City of Unley reserves the right to disqualify any person who tampers with the entry process.
  • Applicants must ensure that their business idea does not violate any copyright laws. The City of Unley takes no responsibility for entrants who do not submit original content.
  • No responsibility will be accepted for late, or misdirected entries or entries sent but not received by The City of Unley.
  • Entry details remain the property of the City of Unley.

Judging Process

  • All applications will be assessed against a criteria by an internal panel comprising the Community Development Project Officer – Youth, Team Leader of Community & Cultural Development and one other panel member who will determine the finalists. The criteria will assess impact, innovation, creativity, practicality and budget.
  • Finalists will be notified by email and phone week commencing Monday 20 May 2024.
  • Finalists must be available to participate in the Pitch & Presentation workshop on Saturday 25 May 2024, 1.00pm – 3.00pm, at the Fullarton Park Community Centre. 
  • Should any of the finalists not be able to attend the Pitch & Presentation workshop and/ or the Fish Tank Pitch Night, they will forfeit their place in the competition and another applicant may take that place.
  • Finalists must give a 3 minute pitch to present their business idea to a panel of judges. Judges will then have two minutes after the pitch to ask questions to the finalist.
  • Pitches must not exceed 3 minutes.
  • Winners will be announced at the Fish Tank Pitch Night event.
  • The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Competition Timeline

  • The promotion to call for submissions, commences at 9.00am Wednesday 13 March 2023 and closes at Midnight Sunday 19 May 2024.
  • Fish Tank Entrepreneurship Workshop; Tuesday 16 April 2024 6.00pm – 8.00pm at the Unley Oval Community Hub. Attendees will get the opportunity to learn more about entrepreneurship, hear from business leaders and young entrepreneurs and gain assistance to prepare their  application forms. Registration is essential, visit unley.sa.gov.au/fish-tank by 15 April 2024.
  • Presentation & Pitch Workshop (only for finalists); Saturday 25 May 2024, 1.00pm – 3.00pm at the Fullarton Park Community Centre. Finalists will gain skills in public speaking and learn the art of pitching/ presenting.  
  • Fish Tank, Pitch Night; Thursday 6 June 2024 5:45pm for a 6.00pm start – 8.00pm, at the Unley Town Hall.

Prizes

12 – 17 years

1st Prize – Futurepreneurs Academy mentoring package facilitated by entrepreneurial educator Sasha Dragovelic, including two x 2 hour mentoring sessions (valued at $780) + $500 seed money.

2nd Prize – Rotary Club of Unley business mentorship + $300 seed money.  

18 – 25 years

1st Prize – Business SA SAYES (South Australian Young Entrepreneur Scheme) 12 month workshop and mentoring program (valued at $1,600) + $500 seed money. 

2nd Prize – Business Advisory meeting with Vivienne Pitman, Partner Tilbrook Rasheed Chartered Accountants (1.5 hours valued at $500) + $300 seed money.

All Ages

RAA Sustainability Award – for the business idea which best considers environmental and social impact. Business mentoring sessions with Ben Flink, Senior Business Manager, Business Innovation, RAA (2 x 1 hour sessions) + $500 seed money

All finalists in the Fish Tank Pitch Night will receive a Living Young prize pack, participation certificate and gain access to the Eastern Region Alliance Advisory Service, providing access to three free one-on-one advisory sessions with experienced business advisors.

Fish Tank Winners

  • The winners of the Fish Tank Pitch Night will be announced on the night of the Fish Tank Pitch Night event. The winners will be acknowledged with public announcement posted on the City of Unley website and social media platforms the week starting 10 June 2024, along with further promotional opportunities to follow.
  • All prize seed money will be awarded to the winners via direct credit.

Publicity

  • All finalists of the competition agrees to upon request, participate in promotional activities required by the City of Unley including but not limited to; publicity, photography, video and appearances.
  • The finalists consent to the use of their name, photograph and video footage for the City of Unley promotional materials.