--- title: "Startup tech office space in Melbourne" description: "Where startup tech occupiers cluster in Melbourne, what they pay, and what the typical fit-out looks like." canonical: https://classa.info/cities/melbourne/industries/startup-tech pageType: city-industry lastUpdated: 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z license: "CC BY 4.0 with attribution to Class A Atlas (https://classa.info)." --- > Startup tech occupiers in Melbourne typically cluster in Docklands, plan ~130 sqft per seat at mid fit-out ($2700–4000/sqft), and pay around 720 AUD/sqft ($43 USD) on Class A. ## TL;DR - Preferred submarket: Docklands. - Typical fit-out spec: Mid ($2700–4000/sqft). - Plan ~130 sqft per seat for headcount sizing. - Class A rent context: 720 AUD/sqft ($43 USD). - Typical lease: 7 years with 14 months rent-free. - Talent depth in Melbourne: 84/100. # Startup tech office space in Melbourne **Startup tech occupiers in Melbourne typically cluster in Docklands, plan ~130 sqft per seat at mid [fit-out](/topics/fit-out-capex)">fit-out ($2700–4000/sqft), and pay around 720 AUD/sqft ($43 USD) on [Class A](/glossary/class-a).** ## TL;DR - Preferred submarket: Docklands. - Typical fit-out spec: Mid ($2700–4000/sqft). - Plan ~130 sqft per seat for headcount sizing. - Class A rent context: 720 AUD/sqft ($43 USD). - Typical lease: 7 years with 14 months rent-free. - Talent depth in Melbourne: 84/100. ## Where they cluster Startup tech occupiers in Melbourne typically anchor in Docklands. Banking (NAB), telecom, healthcare insurance (Medibank), media. ## What they pay Class A rent in Melbourne runs 720 AUD/sqft ($43 USD) on a 7-year lease with 14 months free. Prime submarkets sit at or modestly above the city index. ## Spec and fit-out Typical startup tech fit-out targets mid specification at $2700–4000/sqft. Functional Cat-B with branded reception and standard meeting-room mix is standard. ## Headcount sizing Plan around 130 sqft per seat blended (workstation + circulation + amenity). A 100-headcount startups office in Melbourne typically targets 13,000 sqft of leasable area. ## Talent angle Series B–D scale-ups prioritize flexibility and signature loft stock to attract engineering talent away from incumbents. Deep professional services, banking, education, and creative talent. Strong feed from University of Melbourne, Monash, and RMIT. English-fluent professional base; multicultural workforce. ## Tax and lease context Headline corporate tax: 30%. Net leases. 7-10 year terms standard. Incentives of 30-45% (combination of free rent, fitout, and [rent abatement](/topics/class-a-lease-negotiation)) typical on a 10-year Class A deal. ## Key facts | city | Melbourne| | industry | Startup tech| | naics | 541511, 541512, 518210| | preferredSubmarket | Docklands| | preferredFitoutSpec | Mid| | fitoutBand | $2700–4000/sqft| | sqftPerSeat | 130| | classARentLocal | 720 AUD/sqft/yr| | classARentUsd | $43/sqft/yr| | vacancyPct | 18.4%| | typicalLeaseYears | 7| | typicalRentFreeMonths | 14| | talentIndex | 84| | corporateTaxPct | 30%| ## Frequently asked questions ****Where do startup tech occupiers lease office space in Melbourne?**** : Most cluster in Docklands. Rent runs ~720 AUD/sqft ($43 USD) for trophy and prime stock. ****What fit-out spec do startup tech occupiers run in Melbourne?**** : Typically mid at $2700–4000/sqft. ****How much office space per seat should a startup tech occupier plan in Melbourne?**** : Plan ~130 sqft per seat blended. A 100-person team typically takes 13,000 sqft. ****What NAICS codes describe the startup tech vertical?**** : Representative NAICS 2022 codes: 541511, 541512, 518210. ****What is the talent index in Melbourne?**** : 84/100. Use the city profile for full detail. ## Related - [**Startup tech — global overview**](/industries/startup-tech) - [**Melbourne — full city profile**](/cities/melbourne) - [**Financial services in Melbourne**](/cities/melbourne/industries/financial-services) - [**Asset management in Melbourne**](/cities/melbourne/industries/asset-management) - [**Investment banking in Melbourne**](/cities/melbourne/industries/investment-banking) - [**Legal services in Melbourne**](/cities/melbourne/industries/legal-services) ## Editorial provenance Reviewed by [**Kenji Watanabe**](/about/authors/kenji-watanabe) — APAC contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our [methodology](/about/methodology) and [editorial standards](/about/editorial-standards). ### Primary sources for this page - [CBRE Marketview reports](https://www.cbre.com/insights) — CBRE - [JLL Office Insight](https://www.jll.com/en/trends-and-insights) — JLL - [Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat](https://www.cushmanwakefield.com/en/insights) — Cushman & Wakefield - [Savills World Research](https://www.savills.com/research_articles/) — Savills - [Colliers Global Office Outlook](https://www.colliers.com/en/research) — Colliers [Full sources index](/about/sources) · [Submit a correction](/about/corrections) ## Related topics - [**Class A Lease Negotiation**](/topics/class-a-lease-negotiation) — How to negotiate a Class A office lease — the playbook from LOI to signed deal. - [**Hybrid Workplace Strategy**](/topics/hybrid-workplace-strategy) — How to size, structure, and lease a Class A office for a hybrid workforce. - [**ESG / LEED for Tenants**](/topics/esg-leed-tenants) — How tenants evaluate, negotiate, and report on ESG performance in a Class A office lease. - [**Cross-border Expansion**](/topics/cross-border-expansion) — How to run a coordinated Class A office search across multiple geographies. - [**Fit-out Capex**](/topics/fit-out-capex) — How to budget, sequence, and govern Class A office fit-out capex. - [**Lease vs Flex**](/topics/lease-vs-flex) — When premium flex (coworking, [managed office](/glossary/managed-office)) beats a conventional Class A lease — and vice versa. --- Citation: Source: Class A Atlas (https://classa.info/cities/melbourne/industries/startup-tech), updated 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z.