What Upstride does

Upstride Agency Pty Ltd is a privately held, founder-led social impact communications agency headquartered in Mornington, Victoria, with a second office in Traralgon (Gippsland). Founded in 2018 by Jane Metlikovec, the firm delivers integrated communications campaigns for Australian federal, state and local government departments, non-profits, healthcare organisations, environmental agencies and disability advocacy groups. Its service suite spans campaigns and strategy, PR and media, digital and web (including AR/VR experiences), content and video production, communications consulting, product advertising, and training workshops, with documented campaigns including the DonateLife Week national organ donor drive (400,000+ registrations, Mumbrella CommsCon 2022 winner), Red Nose Day integrated campaigns ($3M raised via AR filters with PHORIA), and the Melbourne High Capacity Metro Trains VR experience (VR Awards 2018 finalist in London).

The agency's underlying technology is not a software platform but a creative production stack combining digital content creation, augmented reality filter development (e.g., Instagram and Facebook AR filters for Red Nose Day), virtual reality experiences (e.g., 60-metre model train installation with 10-day VR experience at Birrarung Marr), data visualisation portals (e.g., Victorian Building Authority inspection data portal), and 3D-style scientific animations (e.g., CERA retina mapping). In 2024 it added an AI training workshop line teaching clients to use ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Pictory and image generators.

The business model is fee-for-service professional consulting: project-based quotes scoped to client requirements, with engagements delivered via direct consultative sales to government and non-profit buyers, supported by website portfolio, LinkedIn and Instagram presence, and industry award visibility. Revenue derives from multi-year retained engagements (DonateLife 2021-2024, Queensland Advocacy 2020-2022, Inclusion Australia since 2019) and discrete campaign projects. The firm employs 5 people, has not raised external funding, and is wholly owned and operated by the founder with no disclosed parent company or institutional investors.

Name

Upstride

Legal name

Upstride Agency Pty Ltd

Website

https://upstride.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Upstride is a 5-person, founder-led Australian social impact communications agency delivering integrated campaigns, PR, AR/VR experiences and training for government, non-profit, healthcare and environmental clients across Victoria and nationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mornington

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Communications Consulting: Fee-for-service consulting engagements with government departments, healthcare organizations, non-profits, and community groups for campaign development, PR strategy, media relations, content creation, and training workshops

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Upstride is a Melbourne-based social impact communications agency that delivers campaign strategy, public relations and media services, digital content, AR/VR experiences, and AI training workshops for government departments, non-profits, healthcare organizations, and community groups.

Product overview

Upstride is an award-winning social impact communications agency that operates as a services-based consultancy rather than a software product company. The agency offers a unified suite of communication services organized around core capabilities: Campaigns & Strategy, PR & Media, Digital & Web (including AR/VR experiences), Content & Video, Communications Consulting, Training & Workshops (including AI training), and Product Advertising. Founded in 2018, the agency serves government, health, environment, and community sectors with cross-platform communication campaigns that combine storytelling, creativity, and technology. The portfolio includes specialized offerings such as immersive AR/VR experiences (notably the Melbourne Train VR Experience and Santa's Big Workshop AR), scientific animations, data visualization portals, and AI training workshops. The agency's differentiation lies in combining traditional communications expertise with emerging technologies including augmented reality, virtual reality, and AI tools to create impactful public engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Campaign Strategy and Execution

Quantifiable outcome

• $3 million raised for Red Nose Australia through integrated campaign
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability15 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Fenton Communications: Established global social change PR and communications firm serving non-profits, foundations and advocacy campaigns — comparable to Upstride's PR & Media and advocacy campaign services, but at significantly greater scale.
• BMF: Major Australian advertising and communications agency with significant government, transport and behaviour-change work — a broader incumbent competing for the same public-sector creative briefs Upstride targets.
• Purpose: Global social impact agency that designs campaigns, movements and organisations for social and environmental causes — a much larger incumbent operating in the same social impact communications category Upstride serves.

Direct peers

• Think HQ: Melbourne-based social impact and behaviour change communications agency serving government, health and community clients — directly comparable to Upstride in mission, target segments (Vic government, health, advocacy) and service mix.
• Ellis Jones: Australian creative agency specialising in social impact campaigns for government, health, environment and advocacy clients — directly comparable in sector mix, campaign-led model and creative-led positioning.
• Republic of Everyone: Australian creative agency focused on social impact, purpose and sustainability work for non-profits and government — comparable to Upstride in audience (mission-driven clients), creative positioning and campaign-led delivery.
• Sweatshop Communications: Australian communications agency focused on social justice, advocacy and movement-building campaigns for non-profits and communities — comparable to Upstride's advocacy, government and community sector work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upstride
• Instagraminstagram.com/upstride

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Upstride