Helping women turn a business idea into action, and into funding
The Challenge
In 2025, all-female-founded startups secured just 2% of Australia’s $5.48 billion in startup funding, with less than one in five female founders feeling supported by investors. The Accelerator for Enterprising Women was launched in 2021 to break these barriers, turning ideas into action and helping women secure the funding they need to thrive.
Our REsponse
89DE created the Accelerator for Enterprising Women as a national movement, driving change through free events, dynamic workshops, and high-stakes pitch competitions. Female Founder Festivals united innovators across the country, while AccelerateHER workshops delivered essential masterclasses and mentorship. At the program's heart, the Kickstarter Challenge acted as a powerful engine, offering a share of $60,000 in equity-free funding and connecting visionaries with expert networks in Canberra to turn ambitious concepts into thriving realities.
A national accelerator delivered through the enterprisingme.com.au/accelerate platform: the Female Founder Festivals, the AccelerateHER workshop and mentorship program, the Kickstarter Challenge pitch competition, and the ‘Secrets of a Self Starter’ podcast series.
The Accelerator has empowered more than 2,000 women to take their next step into entrepreneurship, turning vision into venture. Its Kickstarter Challenge ignited over 1,000 business ideas and delivered $240,000 in cash investment across 15 female-founded businesses, funding real-world ventures. Complementing this, the 'Secrets of a Self Starter' podcast amplified the program’s reach with over 100,000 downloads, providing a continuous source of inspiration for women ready to command their own professional futures.
