AI/Machine Learning

Job Matched, a recruitment startup bootstrapped by a first-time female founder, is using AI to get the cultural fit right in hiring

- April 16, 2025 2 MIN READ

A recruitment platform that combines the simplicity of dating app swiping with AI-powered soft skills matching was launched in Sydney by a first-time founder this week.  Job Matched is the brainchild of Australian-American Kayla Parry, who set out to make hiring faster, smarter and more human. Parry was on Startup 360 this week, where she… Read more »

Nikki Tugano SeenCulture
Funding

Employee retention startup SeenCulture raises $1 million pre-Seed round

- July 20, 2024 2 MIN READ

Workplace talent management platform SeenCulture has raised $1 million in a round backed by LaunchVic’s Alice Anderson Fund for female founders. The software startup helps management make smarter, fairer and faster decisions around employee issues such as promotions, performance/pay reviews, and team design. Founded in 2023 by psychologist Nikki Tugano, it currently serves more than… Read more »

Femtek founder Olivia Orchowski
Funding

Women’s hormonal cycle tracker Femtek pockets $1 million Seed round

- April 2, 2024 < 1 MIN READ

Women’s healthtech startup Femtek has raised $1 million in Seed funding to give women better data around their menstrual cycle. The round was led by startup incubator and early-stage investor Arcanys Ventures, which also has an office in Melbourne led by managing partner Frederic Joye, alongside Philippines-based software outsourcing and a Swiss office. Techstars and… Read more »

Ghazaleh Lyari and Johanna Young
Funding

Australian Business Growth Fund backs skin cancer prevention clothing brand Solbari with $10 million

- January 3, 2024 2 MIN READ

The federal government-backed Australian Business Growth Fund (ABGF) has backed it second business run by a woman, tipping  $10 million into  clothing brand Solbari, which produces clothing, hats and accessories focused on sun protection. Founder and CEO Johanna Young launched Solbari in 2014, having moved to Melbourne from Europe in 2011 following a career in… Read more »

Nuggets Academy Ross Lin and joyce Ong.
Funding

Anti-PowerPoint financial training startup Nuggets Academy raises $700,000

- November 28, 2023 2 MIN READ

Financial industry professional development platform Nuggets Academy has raised $700,000 in a round led by Antler Australia. The edtech, which deals with the mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training people are required to undertake annually, emerged out of the Antler program last year with its initial pre-seed funding from the accelerator and VC. Also backing… Read more »

Michele Stansfield
Funding

Female-founded fermentation startup Cauldron lands $10.5 million to transform how new foods and fibres are developed

- March 27, 2023 2 MIN READ

Cauldron speeds up development of new food, feedstock and fibre ingredients Its hyper-fermentation platform lowers commercial risk & production costs $10.5m Seed round led by Main Sequence + Horizons Ventures An ambitious plan to transform the way new food, feedstock and fibre ingredients are created, by using fermentation has raised $10.5 million in seed funding… Read more »

Venture Capital

Giant Leaps: climate tech and female founders are top of the pops in Australian impact investing

- March 15, 2023 2 MIN READ

Women-led startups and others tackling climate and sustainability-related issues are emerging trends Australia’s impact startup ecosystem, a new report from VC Giant Leap reveals. A snippet above a quarter (26%) of the impact opportunities reviewed by Giant Leap come from women-led ventures, a touch above the 23% average in the broader ecosystem. Meanwhile, a majority… Read more »

WOOM
Women in tech

Period care startup Woom offers a subscription service for workplaces

- March 6, 2023 2 MIN READ

The workplace bathroom can be many things. A refuge, a contemplation station, or an echo chamber of embarrassing sounds.  And it’s there that Woom, a startup offering accessible period care for the workplace, was conceived. The 2022 Australian workplace period care audit found that 99% of workers believe free and accessible period care promotes workplace… Read more »