Why volunteer?
MLAI is 100% volunteer-run. The people who help out are the reason it exists — and they get the most out of it. Here's what's in it for you.
Real builder skills
Run events, ship content, mentor founders, build tools. Volunteering at MLAI is reps you can't get from a course.
A serious network
Work shoulder-to-shoulder with founders, operators, researchers and the MLAI Team. The room remembers who shows up.
Earn Roo Points
Meaningful work earns Roo Points you can spend on coworking, event tickets, mentoring and merch. Volunteer work is the main way to earn.
Back the mission
Help create 1,000 Australian startups by 2030. Every shift, post and intro moves it forward.
How to become a volunteer
No applications to agonise over. The fastest path in is small, useful and visible — start helping and the rest follows.
Join the Slack
The community lives in Slack. Jump in — that's where Roo, the team and every task live.
Introduce yourself
Post a quick intro in #_start-here — who you are, what you're building, how you'd like to help. That's +2 Roo Points.
Pick a role or task
Claim something that fits your time from the roles below — an event shift, a post, a mentoring slot.
Do it & tag @Roo
Do the work, tag @Roo and an MLAI Team member, and ask for your Roo Points. They approve — Roo logs it.
What volunteers do
Six ways to plug in — most volunteers mix a couple. Each role is a different way to show up.
Event Crew
Make meetups & hackathons actually happen.
Content & Social
Tell the story — write, design, film, boost.
Community Crew
Keep Slack warm and newcomers moving.
Mentor
Help founders get unstuck.
Builder
Ship the tools the community runs on.
Partnerships
Bring in sponsors, grants & partners.
How you earn Roo Points
Roo Points are MLAI's internal thank-you for meaningful contribution — about 1 point ≈ 10 minutes of useful work. They're recognition you can spend, not a wage.
Estimate your first month
Tap what you reckon you'll do. Just a rough guide.
How approval works
What points unlock
All rewards →Coworking
Events
Mentoring
Merch
Volunteer FAQ
New volunteers should leave this page knowing exactly what to do next.