There’s no shortage of innovative women changemakers here in Australia. From eco-conscious startups to health technology that’s saving lives, women are leading the change we desperately need to see.
This Women’s Entrepreneurship Day (19 November), we take a look are ten women entrepreneurs to know and support, as they change the game within their industries.
Sophie Fleming
Sophie Fleming founded Prosthetic Art Technology, a global business transforming lives by combining advanced technology with the art of sculpture to create life-changing silicone prosthetics.
Recently, Fleming’s business joined two other female-founded Australian companies that were awarded Xero’s Beautiful Business Fund, where each winner shares a piece of the global prize pool of AU$700,000.
Prosthetic Art Technology plans to use the award money to upgrade essential modelling software, acquire a new 3D printer, and explore innovative 3D scanning technology.
“These funds will have a significant impact on how we can develop and innovate our business through the use of technology,” Fleming said. “There is a huge gap in bringing prosthetics to life for the people that need them, this gap is physical, geographical, and financial. Thanks to the fund, we can now continue to work to bridge the divide.”
Jessie French
Jessie French is also one of the winners of Xero’s Beautiful Business Fund. French founded Other Matter, a business revolutionising the market with its eco-conscious approach to decal production.
Using an algae-based polymer, a world-first in renewable material technology, these decals offer a sustainable alternative to traditional vinyl. Fully recyclable, they are designed to promote a circular lifecycle, supporting both environmental responsibility and innovation in materials.
As the Innovating for Environmental Sustainability global winner, the funding will help them scale production and promote a circular approach to materials.
“This achievement not only underscores our commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility but also comes at a pivotal stage,” saud French. “The prize will be directed towards scaling, a critical step in ensuring the success and viability of our decals as a sustainable alternative to toxic PVC signage and non-petrochemical material solutions. We are excited to accelerate our mission with this support.”
Sarah Frank
Sarah Frank is the third Australian female-founder to receive Xero’s Beautiful Business Fund.
Frank’s business, ‘Zenly’, offers a sensory haven for neurodivergent adults and teens, providing a supportive space to move, rest, and connect. With a range of daily classes, including yoga, Pilates, weights, and meditation, Zenly also hosts popular skills groups aimed at fostering growth and community.
The funding will be used to build a new therapy room and expand their community support services.
Jessica Brown
Jessica Brown is the founder of The Warrior Women Foundation, a charity organisation that helps support young and vulnerable women through evidence-based programs targeting financial literacy and life skills.
As a former high school teacher working in south western Sydney for over a decade, Brown’s passion has always been assisting the students at risk of falling through the cracks of the education and welfare systems.
The Warrior Woman Foundation is Jess’s second social empire after founding the Life-Changing Experiences Foundation in 2003 and its multi-award winning SISTER2sister program, which she led as CEO for 17 years. In 2013, Jess was awarded the People’s Choice Community Hero Award at the NSW Women of the Year Awards for her commitment to assisting underprivileged young girls in the community.
Julia Kay
Julia Kay is the co-founder and co-CEO of Great Wrap, a materials science company on a mission to end the human reliance on traditional plastics.
Julia and her co-founder, Jordy Kay, held former careers in winemaking and architecture, when they recognised the need for change when it comes to the impact plastic has on our natural spaces. So, they invented Great Wrap, a compostable material acting as stretch wrap to replace plastic food packaging.
When composted, Great Wrap can reduce carbon emissions by up to 60 per cent compared to traditional stretch wrap, the organisation says.
The 2022 winner of Young Victoria of the Year, Julia is the visionary of the brand and has driven the creative growth at Great Wrap. Her company has also been recognised globally by LaunchVic, CBA Young Hero Awards, Fast Company, Good Design Awards, The Design Files.
Nicole Gibson
Nicole Gibson is making waves in the startup world with a first-of-its-kind wearable AI technology that tracks emotions. Founded in 2021, her company, InTruth, is preparing for a public launch next year and has already raised $9.5 million.
Noting that science shows emotion drives 80 per cent of our decision making, Gibson says she has pushed herself to find a scalable way to change – on a societal level – our relationship with emotion.
While the market for wearable technology is already rapidly growing, InTruth fills a gap in the market by pulling raw data from the wearables and using a machine-learning model that translates this data into emotions, which the user then can better understand.
Frances Bilbao
Frances Bilbao is the founder of Mums Matter Psychology, a business providing specialised affordable and accessible mental health support for women during the transition to parenthood.
The business has grown to serve 3,400 women nationwide and save the economy $49.5 million this year alone.
Through her innovative bulk-billing model, Bilbao provides free perinatal mental health care to mothers across Australia. Mums Matter continues to flourish under her leadership, using technology and community partnerships to reshape the industry and make vital psychological support accessible to all families in need.
This year alone, Frances Bilbao has been recognised as a 2024 Cartier Women’s Initiative Fellow, a 2024 Telstra Championing Health Award winner and the winner of the 2024 Women’s Agenda Emerging Leader in Small Business.
Dr Angela Kwong
Dr. Angela Kwong is a general practitioner with a special interest in medically supervised weight loss. She’s the creator of Enlighten Me, a medically supervised weight loss program that provides individualised medical care, and specific nutritional advice, alongside support, coaching and understanding.
At this year’s Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards, Dr Kwong was the victorious Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year.
Dr Kwong captivated the judges with her clear business model and innovative approach to addressing complex health challenges. They recognised her substantial vision and the potential of her venture to create a meaningful impact in a large market. Dr Kwong’s strategy for tackling these health issues is emerging as a promising solution.
Nadia Lee
Nadia Lee is a founder and CEO of ThatsMyFace, an AI company which detects malicious content and who’s in it for businesses.
She is the Industry Partner at Reclaim Coalition, one of the largest global coalitions against image-based abuse. She is also a member at the Content Authenticity Initiative, a global alliance led by Adobe and Microsoft to protect digital provenance. She has a background as an AI policy researcher and start-up entrepreneur.
At this year’s Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards, Lee was a finalist for the Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year award.
Laura Simmons
Laura has worked across Sydney in the private health sector for 10 years, and in this time has noticed a distinct lack of innovative technology solutions targeting the ongoing care of clients outside of direct therapy and how this is impacting the client’s overall treatment. As an OT, Laura spends most of her time working 1:1 with children aged 2-15 years living with various challenges.
She is passionate about digital health transformation and developed Theratrak – a digital platform that enables allied health professionals to work collaboratively to create, monitor and track custom therapy programs for children.
At this year’s Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards, Simmons was a finalist for the Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year award.
