Australia is certainly not lacking in female entrepreneurial talent or great female-led business ideas — and we’re not just talking about some of the big and often celebrated names of women founding businesses, like Jodie Fox, Naomi Simson and Carolyn Creswell.
During the four-week entry period for the Rexona Clinical Women’s Agenda Pitch Off, more than one hundred women put excellent business ideas forward for a chance to pitch in front of a live audience on 6 November.
The great majority of the business ideas were ambitious, well-considered, highly original and aimed to address a market need. While all at varying stages ranging from conception to testing and first customers, what was consistent was the passion and commitment these women nominating had for making new things happen.
The industries these business ideas covered were wide and diverse, and included entries covering everything from property development to transport, marketing, sustainability, fashion, manufacturing, technology and more.
Shortlisting the ten finalists was not easy task. However, a small internal team at Private Media (publisher of Women’s Agenda) managed to do just that to offer the selected ten a place at our first ever Pitch Off in two weeks.
Our ten finalists include a job sharing platform, contra promotions company, online marketplace for freelance lawyers, a hospitality deals site, a platform connecting creatives to internship opportunities, a networking app, a digital marketplace for transport operators, a sensory play destination for young kids, a building specifying tool and a portal connecting SMEs to outsourced staff. See more on the finalists here.
They will now ‘Pitch Off’ in front of our judges including Pottinger co-founder Cassandra Kelly, serial entrepreneur Jo Burston and Nickelodeon general manager Jihee Nam. The winner will receive prizes including mentoring, ongoing publicity, office space, online software and access to potential investors.