Fish Tank Entrepreneurship Program

Complete the Fish Tank Application Form. You have until midnight on Sunday 18 May 2025 to apply.

If you are under 18 years of age, your parents or guardians have a section on the form to fill out so you can participate. 

To register your interest in attending this workshop, in which attendees learn about the Fish Tank program and get help to put forward their business ideas, please reserve your space in the Eventbrite booking link.

To register your interest in attending this workshop, in which attendees learn about the Fish Tank program and get help to put forward their business ideas, please reserve your space in the Eventbrite booking link.

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 8 to 25 years at the time of entry.  

Can I apply as part of a duo or group?

• Applicants for the 8 – 12 years and 13 – 17 years age categories can apply as part of a group of up to 4 participants providing the group is working on the same idea. Please note – prizes are awarded per idea, not per person. Prizes are only awarded per person in the case of single applicants.
• Applicants for the 18 – 25 years age category can only apply as a single applicant. Please note – prizes are awarded per person as there is only one placement for the SA Business Chamber, SAYES prize.

How will applications be judged?

 What to consider when submitting your business idea/product for the application form:

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 and/or product 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 participants may apply. However, it must be for a different business idea or product than previously presented.

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

Finalists will be notified by email and phone by Wednesday 21 May 2025. There will be four (4) finalists per age category.

If I can’t attend the Fish Tank Entrepreneurship Workshops, can I still submit an application form for Fish Tank?

Yes, you can still apply. The Fish Tank Entrepreneurship Workshop is not mandatory to attend, however they will provide useful information about entrepreneurship and insights from young entrepreneurs and business leaders. This will also assist you in preparing your application form.

If I am selected as one of the Top 12 finalists and I can’t attend the Presentation & Pitch Workshop, can I still pitch my business idea at the Fish Tank Pitch Night?

Unfortunately, no. It is mandatory to attend the Presentation & Pitch Workshop if you have been selected as a Top 12 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 of the Top 12 finalists and I can’t attend the Fish Tank Pitch Night, can I still participate in Fish Tank?

Unfortunately, no. It is mandatory to attend the Fish Tank Pitch Night if you have been selected as one of the Top 12 finalists. If you are unable to attend the Fish Tank Pitch Night, then you may forfeit your place in the competition. Depending on the specific circumstances, if an individual applicant is able to pitch via Zoom or video, this may be able to be accommodated, but an in-person pitch is strongly preferred. This would need to be discussed with the Community Development Project Officer – Youth. 

What is the time commitment to participate in Fish Tank?

Fish Tank 2025

Terms and Conditions of Entry

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

Eligibility

• Applicants must live, study, work or play in the City of Unley.
• Applicants must be 8 - 25 years of age at the time of entry.  
• Applicants must complete the online entry form at unley.sa.gov.au/fish-tank
• Applicants may submit only one version of their business idea/ product per online application form. However, any applicant may submit more than one pitch. A separate entry form must be completed for each submission.
• An Application may be submitted for an existing business and or product but the applicant must be able to prove that they need the financial and mentoring support for their business or product to develop further.
• Applicants for the 8 – 12 years and 13 – 17 years age categories can apply as part of a group of up to 4 participants providing the group is working on the same idea. Please note – prizes are awarded per idea, not per person. Prize only awarded per person if it is a single applicant.
• Applicants for the 18 – 25 years age category can only apply as a single applicant. Please note – prizes are awarded per person as there is only one placement for the SA Business Chamber, SAYES prize.
• Previous Fish Tank participants may submit an application, however it must be for a different business idea and or product than previously presented. 
• Living Young Reference Group members may submit an application.
• Applications close on Sunday 18 May 2025, 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.
• All applicants under the age of 18 who progress to the Live 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, including all personal details and outline of business idea and or product. 
  • Applicants must agree to the terms & conditions of the competition and talent release information as part of the online entry form. Applicants under the age of 18 must have the consent of a parent or guardian.
  • Business idea or product can be anything you like, the more creative the better.
  • The City of Unley reserves the right to disqualify any person who tampers with the entry process.
  • Applicants must ensure that their business idea or product 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 top 12 finalists. There will be 4 finalists per age category. The criteria will assess impact, innovation, creativity, practicality and budget.
• Feedback for unsuccessful applicants will not be provided.
• The top 12 finalists will be notified by email and phone by Wednesday 21 May 2025.
• The top 12 finalists must be available to participate in the Pitch & Presentation workshop on Saturday 31 May 2025, 1:00pm – 3:00pm, at the Fullarton Park Community Centre.
• The top 12 finalists will pitch their business idea at the ‘Fish Tank, Pitch Night’ on Thursday 5 June 2025, 5:45pm for a 6:00pm start – 8:00pm, at the Unley Town Hall.
• 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 one minute after the pitch to ask questions to the finalist.
• Pitches must not exceed 3 minutes.
• The three category winners of Fish Tank, chosen by the judges based on the judging criteria 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 on Wednesday 19 March 2025, 9am and closes Sunday 18 May 2025 at midnight.
• Fish Tank Entrepreneurship Workshop for 8 – 17 years, Thursday 24 April 2025, 2pm – 4pm at the Unley Civic Centre. Young people will get the opportunity to learn more about entrepreneurship and assist them to prepare their application forms. Young people will also hear from business leaders and young entrepreneurs. Free. Registration is essential - visit unley.sa.gov.au/fish-tank by 22 April 2025.
• Fish Tank Entrepreneurship Workshop for 18 – 25 years, Thursday 24 April 2025, 6pm – 8pm at the Unley Civic Centre. Young people will get the opportunity to learn more about entrepreneurship and assist them to prepare their application forms. Young people will also hear from business leaders and young entrepreneurs. Free. Registration is essential - visit unley.sa.gov.au/fish-tank by 22 April 2025.
• Presentation & Pitch Workshop (only for the top 12 finalists); Saturday 31 May 2025, 1pm – 3pm at the Fullarton Park Community Centre. The top 12 finalists will gain skills in public speaking and learn the art of pitching/ presenting.  
• Fish Tank Pitch Night; Thursday 5 June 2025, 5.45pm for a 6pm start – concluding at 8pm - at the Unley Town Hall.

Fish Tank Winners

• The winners of the Fish Tank Competition will be announced at 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 9 June 2025, along with further promotional opportunities to follow.
• All prize seed money will be awarded to the winners via direct credit.
• All prize seed money must go towards the winner's business idea or product. Within 12 months of receipt of prize seed money, the winner must provide the City of Unley with an acquittal form.