Applications are open now through January 17, 2025. Interested companies can apply here.
While the number of women leading, launching, and running their own ventures has reached unprecedented levels, investment in them remains alarmingly low. In 2024, the Cuthrough Venture report revealed that startups founded entirely by women received just 4 percent of the total capital raised by founders—a 1 percent drop from the previous year.
This gap in funding represents a massive missed opportunity for innovation and economic growth. A company like Canva for instance, co-founded by Melanie Perkins, has revolutionised its industry. Meanwhile, the pipeline of innovative female-founders across numerous areas is growing rapidly.
In Australia, women make up over a third of business operators, and data from sources like Dow Jones and the Harvard Business Review shows that women-led ventures consistently generate higher revenue, create more jobs, and outperform their male-led counterparts.
Yet, systemic barriers persist. In 2019, Morgan Stanley described these challenges as a “trillion-dollar blind spot,” citing limited access to investors, smaller funding offers, and higher scrutiny faced by women and minorities compared to white male founders. Four years later, in 2023, Crunchbase data highlighted how little progress had been made: Black-founded startups received less than 0.5 percent of US venture funding, and women-founded startups just over 2 percent.
It’s for this reason that Braze, a leading customer engagement platform, is running its Tech for an Equitable Future program again in 2025. The initiative aims to help underrepresented founders—including women and minorities—secure the resources and venture capital they need to grow and scale.
The program, which is taking applications through January 17, 2025 offers 12 months of free access to the Braze platform as well as other supporting services.
As part of this initiative, the company has also announced its first-ever partnership with BET+, a premium streaming service known for its commitment to elevating Black culture and creators.
BET+ will offer select participants valuable resources, including 1:1 mentorship, access to a branding masterclass, and free email advertising opportunities. This is a unique opportunity for underrepresented founders to gain access to world-class resources and mentorship that can transform their business trajectory.
Braze Senior Operations Lead of Social Impact, Rachel Waitt says these founders need to be much better supported to level out the playing field.
“Braze’s Tech for an Equitable Future program aims to level the playing field by removing these obstacles, empowering underrepresented founders with the tools, technology, and resources they need to accelerate growth, secure funding, and build scalable businesses,” she said.
The program, which initially started for Black entrepreneurs, has been expanded to include women, who continue to also be noticeably underrepresented in tech entrepreneurship.
Waitt envisions the grant empowering selected companies to thrive, driving growth in a more diverse and inclusive tech ecosystem.
When diverse founders thrive, they help bring in workers from all backgrounds and they can also throw down the ladder for others to launch new ventures.
“Through this program, each company will benefit from access to Braze’s comprehensive customer engagement platform that powers relevant and memorable experiences between consumers and the brands they love. The program provides access to tools to help implement and successfully use the technology like a dedicated Customer Success Manager in the first year, Braze certifications, and the opportunity to renew at a discounted rate” she said.
For the selected companies, this program offers more than just powerful Braze technology—it’s an opportunity to accelerate growth, boost customer engagement, and increase their chances of securing future VC funding.
Don’t miss your chance to apply—applications close January 17, 2025.