|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
In a significant boost to Queensland’s innovation ecosystem, nearly AU$1 million in support has been granted to acknowledge the contributions of female founders. The Accelerating Female Founders Program, in its first round, has selected 11 recipients, including two universities, for funding and support.
This pilot initiative aims to provide financial assistance and promote initiatives that cultivate a diverse group of innovative female founders in Queensland. The programme’s comprehensive approach ensures ongoing assistance throughout their business and innovation endeavours, while also encouraging their involvement in crucial industries and cutting-edge technologies.
With the participation of 11 organisations, a wide array of practical business development and technical skills programmes are set to benefit nearly 500 female founders and innovation-driven enterprise leaders. This inclusive opportunity is open to female founders from all corners of Queensland, regardless of their stage in the entrepreneurial journey, providing access to programmes aimed at nurturing, developing, expanding, and growing their businesses. Notably, five of the 11 chosen applicants hail from regional areas such as Rockhampton, Cairns, Toowoomba, and the Sunshine Coast.
The Accelerating Female Founders Program forms a vital part of Advance Queensland’s Backing Female Founders Program, which was initially introduced in 2019. The dedicated female founders programmes offered by Advance Queensland have been instrumental in supporting over 1,500 women in kickstarting and enhancing their businesses and business skills. These initiatives continue to empower and uplift women entrepreneurs across the state.
According to Queensland’s Innovation Minister, the Queensland Government demonstrates its support for female founders by allocating funding. In the Women’s Investment Summit held in 2022, they announced a three-year commitment of $3 million to aid female founders.
Additionally, the Premier announced an extra AU$5 million as part of this year’s budget. The programme aligns with their dedication to fostering increased participation of women in Queensland’s innovation economy. It aims to assist women who are already on their entrepreneurial journey to progress to the next stage of business success. Female entrepreneurs are recognised as the rapidly growing category of entrepreneurship globally, contributing to the creation of quality jobs and driving economic prosperity.
The Queensland Chief Entrepreneur emphasised the significance of the program in engaging female founders throughout the state, enabling them to enhance their confidence and capabilities to effectively seize business opportunities.
Female founders will gain access to valuable support and expertise addressing various barriers they currently face in their businesses. This includes mentoring, investor connections, and strategic guidance to develop a solid roadmap for their ventures.
With the understanding that only 22 percent of founders in Queensland are female, there is a clear objective to boost this number, ensuring more women can partake in the economic benefits and opportunities presented by successful and sustainable businesses across the entirety of Queensland.
The founder and CEO of ARM Hub expressed enthusiasm about the positive impact the Queensland Government’s Accelerating Female Founders Program will have on advancing women in business. Through their Female Founder Business and Technology Roadmap Development Program, ARM Hub aims to support female founders by connecting them with world-class experts.
This programme will assist business owners in devising strategies to address product and technology gaps, ultimately preparing them for investment opportunities. Notably, ARM Hub is recognised as Australia’s leading choice for sovereign manufacturing and plays a pivotal role in spearheading the digital transformation of the country’s manufacturing sector.
