Female Founders Program

Are you trying to start a business?

The Female Founders Program is a springboard for female founders based in the Newcastle region, empowering them to navigate their startup journey with confidence. The program’s main aim is to level the playing field for committed female founders who are early on in the process to validate their idea, build their businesses and reach their fullest potential.

The Female Founders Program focuses on supporting majority female-led startups by delivering high-quality support including:

1. Startup insight workshops
2. Mentoring and coaching
3. Peer network development
4. Co-working
5. Continued support

This free 10-week program is centered around insight workshops, covering topics such as:

• Value proposition
• Customer development
• Developing your business model
• Developing a minimum viable product
• Marketing and branding
• Financial modelling
• Business structure and governance
• Fundraising and pitching

The program focuses on hands-on peer-to-peer learning and participants sharing the challenges in their own individual journeys. Founders will experience access to a supportive professional network and community and have the opportunity to connect with industry experts and a dedicated Entrepreneur in Residence.

Founders are provided free access to a Maker Space for product development (material costs covered by teams) and discounted access to software platforms including HubSpot, AWS Activate, and Stripe.

Additional time each week is dedicated to ‘building’ – acting on the knowledge gained as part of the cohort to undertake the real-world application of theory to develop evidence of traction.

Additionally, the Female Founders program offers access to cross-program sessions hosted by I2N.

Who should apply

• The pre-startup / company must have at least one founder that self-identifies as female. This member must have a majority/equal equity stake in the business
• You are headquartered in the Hunter or Central Coast regions
• You are leveraging technology to deliver a new-to-market product or service
• The business model is either for-profit or social enterprise
• Your company will be at the pre-seed or bootstrapped funding stage
• You are a committed and growth-oriented individual
• You can attend weekly workshops (Thursday AM) over a nine-week period at I2N Hub Honeysuckle in Newcastle
• You can attend weekly coaching sessions with the program's Entrepreneur in Residence over a ten-week period in person or online
• You have the ambition to scale
• You are open to feedback and are coachable.

*Agencies and consultancies are excluded.

To prepare your application in advance via this word document

Submit an EOIFemale Founders Program

Testimonials

"The Female Founders Program has been invaluable in building networks and connections to further develop my start-up Ihydrate. The broad ranging topics from customer proposition through to IP and Finance provided an excellent overview tailored to the needs of start-ups. The connection and camaraderie with the other female founders was amazing. Since the course I’ve employed 2 medical engineers to assist with prototype development, established a group of local athletes to assist with testing and validation and secured a NSW government grant to support development". Lisa Winn, Ihydrate

“The Female Founders Program has been instrumental to the growth and development of my business. Since starting the program, I expanded my team from 2 people to 4 and have refocused my energies towards prioritising roles that grow the business. I’ve gained in depth knowledge and insights into my customers and have discovered new ways of adding value to my product and services. I feel confident, supported and inspired through the network of incredible women I’ve met throughout the program”. Bliss Cavanagh, Creative Sensory Spaces

“I came up with my idea for my business 12 months before I started the Female Founder Program, however I didn’t really know how or where to get stated. The Female Founders Program gave me the confidence to pursue my business idea and showed me practically what steps I needed to take to bring this idea to life. I don’t think I would have been able to develop my business idea to what it is today without the resources, knowledge and network that the Female Founders Program has offered me." Rachel Flick, inteliPRACTICE

"The program is amazing, and all the founders are keen to be able to support this process again with the next group that comes through. The ability to have females only I think is a key area, we all spoke about feeling not good enough or our ideas where not good enough to get it, but so inspired by each other and so supportive. All the facilitators were amazing! So helpful and generous with their time to meet up with us about their sessions". Pru Killick, The HR Equation

Why I2N?

The University of Newcastle's I2N works with individuals and organisations from across the Hunter region and beyond to turn ideas and challenges into opportunities. As a leading driver of economic and business growth, the I2N cultivates entrepreneurial mindsets behind many of the region's most innovative businesses and leaders.

Our programs are more than theory. They are about action and equipping you with the practical tools and strategies necessary to have an immediate impact on your entrepreneurship journey.

Program Partner

The Female Founders Program is proudly supported by the NSW Government

Submit an EOIFemale Founders Program