Applications for Startmate’s Fellowships for Australian and New Zealand women are open, offering up to 100 ambitious women a way to become involved in the startup sector through mentorship, networking and practical skill building.
Mentors from companies such as Atlassian, Canva, Zip, Blackbird, Square Peg, and SafetyCulture will offer guidance to the Fellows as part of Startmate’s global network of founders, mentors and VCs.
Fellows in the upcoming Autumn cohort will have 1:1 coaching, access to ‘ask me anything’ sessions, optional internships and build practical skills through workshops and functional events.
Startmate’s Head of the Fellowship, Sophia Witherington applicants don’t need to have a particular background, just driving ambition.
“Our Fellows come from all walks of life, from corporate refugees to those from a hospitality background. Whether you’re a mother returning to the workforce or don’t quite fit the mould, we want to help you find your dream job in a startup,” she said.
“Whether it’s tackling imposter syndrome or discovering where your skill set lies, the Fellowship is designed to enable you to articulate your value in a new industry. We’re on a mission to transform the face of tech and startups across Australia and New Zealand, and the Fellowship is our way of supercharging that goal.
Last year Startmate set itself the goal of placing 300 women into top startup roles by the end of 2021. While women remain underrepresented in the tech and startup communities, it’s clear that demand is there with the Spring 2020 program seeing more than 600 women apply for 100 fellowships.
And already, 50% of Fellow alumni are working in startups such as Eucalyptus, Dovetail, Pet Circle and Propeller Aero in roles ranging from operations to product, management, engineering, strategy, legal and customer success.
After completing her Fellowship in November following a long management career in AGL, Assem Ongarbayeva joined two cleantech startups: UPowr and Amber Electric, to help households switch to clean energy.
“Coming from a corporate background and knowing only a handful of people in the startup world before the Fellowship, the connections have been invaluable for me. Even the most impressive people can have moments of doubt and uncertainty. It was eye-opening to have honest and candid conversations about work and life,” she said.
“I’m mentally and physically healthier than when I was in my corporate role, and am excited about the potential to grow and make an impact at the same time.”
The flow-one from Startmate’s push for diversity can also be seen its its Summer21 accelerator cohort, with nearly 50% of teams applying including a founder who identifies as a woman.
Apply for the Autumn Fellowship here.
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