And the WINNERS are…cue the drumroll….🥁🥁🥁

The time has come! Over the last couple of weeks, we have had an overwhelming number of votes in support of our eight finalists. We would like to give a big thank you to everyone who voted and made this possible (and for making our decision-making process a whole lot easier!). 

We created the Female Founder Challenge with the intent to lift up women and girls who want to bring their dreams to life. Globally, only 2.3% of VC funding went to women-led startups, and only 28% of total crowdfunding projects worldwide are female-led. There is an unhealthy gap in these statistics, so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to shake things up!

The winners will receive extra funding and support to begin their journey. We’ve teamed up with some awesome partners to offer everything they need to kick-start a successful business. This grant includes access to growth strategy, marketing creatives, legal and accounting support, all valued up to $15,000 for each winner.

The female founders did an amazing job presenting their innovative, purpose-driven projects. There was lots of support, smiles and even some tears. What an amazing bunch of inspiring women!

So, with the help of our judges and the public, we’d like to announce our Winners of the 2021 Female Founder Challenge…

• Best Project Award: I.am Skincare
• Backer’s Choice Award: Clean Swap Box

A big congratulations to I.am Skincare & Clean Swap Box! We can’t wait to watch their business be lifted into the right direction with the help of their $15,000 Jump Starter Kits.

We would also like to say a big well done to the finalists who made it this far. Your incredible work hasn’t gone unrecognised, and we can’t wait to see where you take your ideas!

Natasha Lam – High-End Hammy Downs: A Matching App for your Kids Clothes.

Alison Smith – MuMEcations: Not-for-Profit organization on a mission to help mums take time out for self-care.

Nicola Allen – Rock Bottom Nappies: Biodegradable Bamboo Nappies supporting Survivors of Family Violence.

Ashley Mardesic – Peek a Bras: One bra, lots of possibilities. Like one pillow, many pillowcases.

Sall Grover – Giggle: The Female App. A female-only social networking platform.

Monique Montfroy – Texcoco Collective: Ethically hand-crafted vegan cactus leather handbags, putting the Mindfulness back into Consumption – one ethically, handcrafted bag at a time

We’d like to give a big thank you to, not only our voters but our incredible local and global business partners who made this Grant Challenge possible:

You Glow Girl – Mental Health & Positive Wellbeing Program for Girls 6 – 11 years Successfully Backed 106% AU$3495 Created by Syndi Brambau, You Glow Girl is a wellness centre focussed on empowering young girls, tweens and adult women, aimed to help them in feeling educated and inspired.     Believe Succeed – Empowering Women to Achieve Financial Success Successfully Backed 100% AU$6002 Created by Kylie Mar and Elizabeth Houghton, this online step by step program was created to provide women with the right money mindset, and the tools to become financially independent.     Texcoco Collective – Putting the mindfulness back into consumption Successfully Backed 101% AU$2016 Monique Montfroy founded Texcoco Collective with the vision to share unique, high-quality designs with the ethos of nurturing the earth, and not contributing to harmful plastic production.

The team at lift women treat me like the CEO and inventor I’m meant to be. They are an extension of my company and have nothing but the best intentions and show it with action. I’m very grateful to be part of the incredible platform. ” – Peek a Bras

The Lift Women platform is a great opportunity for all businesses, regardless of their size or stage of establishment, to raise funds for a specific project or cause.” – MuMEcations

Have you got a business idea you’d like to lift? Why not Start a Project?

We’re here to socially and economically empower women. Now more than ever, we need calls for unity, financial inclusion and connection of women. When women work towards something together, we become unstoppable! We’ll lift you high enough to reach, touch and grab your dream.