If you haven’t already heard, COSBOA’s project, The Academy for Enterprising Girls, now has a “big sister” program for young women ages 18 to 24 called The Accelerator for Enterprising Women (AEW).
We were incredibly pleased to have Prime Minister Scott Morrison officially launch the AEW’s Kickstarter Challenge at an event at Brisbane’s River City Labs earlier this week. The event was primarily attended by young people interested in creating positive change in the world through business and entrepreneurship, whether through starting their own business or helping others develop theirs. The optimism, energy, and ingenuity in the room was contagious. We’re now more excited than ever to see the business ideas that come out of this program.
Women aged 18 to 24 are invited to submit their business or entrepreneurial ideas into a competition. Finalists will get to pitch their ideas to a panel of expert judges in Canberra, and winners will receive a share in $60,000 of seed capital funding as well as industry support and mentorship opportunities. Entries are now open and will close at the end of August 2021.
The Accelerator for Enterprising Women also includes a series of free national summit events at universities around Australia where women can hear from inspiring minds in the tech industry, network with like-minded people, and brainstorm their ideas for the Kickstarter challenge. This will be followed by a series of free business incubator workshops starting in July.
The next summit event will take place in Brisbane on the 26th of May. If you know a young woman with a business idea – or even just an entrepreneurial spirit – please encourage her to attend one of the AEW’s free summit events and enter the competition. Running your own business is challenging, rewarding, and a great way to be independent and earn a living by creating and develop something that you’re proud of. You never know unless you try!
COSBOA would like to thank the Australian Government for funding this important program. We’d also like to thank the program’s industry partners for their support, as well as 89 Degrees East Data Strategy Delivery and its delivery partners for all their work making in making it come to life.
