How to launch a startup in Australia
Written by Jack Harrington and Gabriel Pozo, the founders of Urban Media, Melbourne. Updated .
A startup launch is mostly about proving someone wants it before you spend big. For most Australian founders that means a clear offer, the right registrations, a credible brand and website, and one channel that brings the first customers.
General information, not legal, tax or financial advice, with the registration points checked against business.gov.au and IP Australia on 15 October 2026.
Start with one clear offer
Write one sentence: who it is for, what it does, why it is better than the next best option. If you cannot say it plainly, the website and ads will not either.
Register and protect the name
- Choose a structure, and get an ABN.
- Check the name on the ASIC register and IP Australia's TM Checker before you build on it.
- Consider a trade mark for the name or logo, and secure the domain and handles.
- If you plan to raise money or add co-founders, ask a lawyer about the structure early.
Look credible before you have a track record
- A brand that looks deliberate: logo, colours, fonts and a style guide.
- A fast website that explains the offer and takes enquiries.
- A domain email, a Google Business Profile and consistent social profiles.
- Real photos and video of you or the product, not stock.
Pick one channel for the first customers
Choose one way to reach buyers and do it properly for 30 days: search, social content, paid ads or direct outreach. Test it with a small budget, learn what converts, then add the next channel.
Measure enquiries, not likes
Count enquiries, calls booked and customers won. Tag where each one came from, and fix the biggest leak first, usually the page the enquiry form sits on.
Where Urban Launch fits
Urban Launch is built for exactly this stage: brand, website, content and systems, in order, by one Melbourne team, with published prices and a 45 day promise.
Official sources
This guide was checked against these official pages on 15 October 2026. Rules change, so confirm on the source before you rely on a detail.
More guides for new businesses
- Logo or website first for a new business
- What to do after registering an ABN
- New business launch checklist, Melbourne
- How to name a business in Australia
- Business name vs company name in Australia
- Do I need a website for a small business
- What is a brand identity for a small business
- Brand guidelines for a small business
- How to get your first customers as a new business
- Google Business Profile for a new business
- How much a new business should spend on ads
- Website checklist before you launch a small business site
- What photos a new business needs
- Landing page or website for ads
- Social media profiles for a new business
- How to start a business in Melbourne
- How to start a clothing brand in Australia
- How to register a brand name in Australia
- Do I need an ABN to start a business in Australia
- Sole trader or company in Australia
- Do I need to register for GST
- How to choose a .com.au domain name
- How to get a logo for a new business
- Business email for a new business
- Privacy policy for a small business website in Australia
- What to post on social media when you start a business
- Setting up a business in Victoria
- How to open a business in Australia
- Marketing plan for a new business
- Brand voice for a small business
All of them are on the guides page.
Who is behind this
Urban Launch is built and run by Urban Media (ABN 28 169 446 902), a Melbourne studio founded by Jack Harrington and Gabriel Pozo. Urban Media makes video, design and websites for clients including Box Hill United, Brighton Grammar and Porsche Club Victoria.
If you want to talk to the people doing the work, call 0456 785 904. More about who we are, and how to check us, is on the About page.
Common questions
- What do I need to launch a startup in Australia?
- A clear offer, a structure and ABN, a name you have checked, a credible brand and website, and one channel that brings the first customers.
- Should I protect my startup name?
- Consider a trade mark with IP Australia, which gives legal rights to the name in the classes you register. A business name or domain alone does not.
- How much should I spend on ads at launch?
- Start small and only after the website takes enquiries properly. Test one channel for 30 days before adding another.
- What should I measure after launch?
- Enquiries, calls booked and customers won, tagged by source, rather than likes or followers.
Start with a Launch Call
Live and generating enquiries within 45 days, or we keep working at no extra cost until you are. The Launch Call is where we check it is the right fit before we book anything in. For a real example, read the Airwize case study (12 conversions, meaning leads that became sales, in the first month of Google Ads from $70 of ad spend, our figures). You can also read how a launch package compares with hiring separately, or go to the packages and prices on the homepage. If you are setting up from scratch, see the business start-up package.
More: Brand and website package, Melbourne, Startup package for a new business, Melbourne, Branding, website and photography package, Melbourne.