Female Founder Connect Launch: Why connections matter

Connect, network and get inspired by women in the startup ecosystem

Tech Ready Women (TRW) and Sydney Startup Hub are excited to launch Female Founder Connect, a startup community for female founders, on the 7th of September with a remarkable event to connect and inspire female founders in the NSW startup community. This event will be all about connections.

In this event, you will hear from our special inspirational speakers, Sali Sasi and Julie Stevanja, co-founders of the premium Shopping and Discovery App Her Black Book, who alongside our TRW Founder, Christie Whitehill, will inspire us with a fireside chat. A moment for us to acknowledge that we are not alone in this journey and we are here to support one another. Our guest speakers will share their ups and downs and how building connections is a life changer at every stage of the startup journey.

Then, be inspired by a panel of female founders from the Tech Ready Women Alumni, who will share their stories connecting to the ecosystem, what mentoring has meant for them, their wins and challenges, and what they are up to with their startups.

Enjoy a night full of inspiration, connections, and networking with drinks & nibbles.

FEMALE FOUNDER CONNECT LAUNCH

Attending this event will make you the first to know and get a special offer on how to become a member of FEMALE FOUNDER CONNECT, a startup community created to support women at all stages of their startup journey. 

Female Founder Connect creates meaningful connections, supporting female founders in growing scalable startups and ensuring “No female founder gets left behind”.

We’re excited to launch Female Founder Connect on the 7th of September!

To learn more, head to our website and register your Expression of Interest.

Who is this event for?

If you’re a woman testing, launching or scaling a startup in NSW, then this event is for you. Men are also welcome by all means!

What is the cost?

This is a free event. Spots are limited to 180 attendees so get your ticket now!

Guest Speakers

Special Inspirational Speakers

We are excited to have Sali Sasi and Julie Stevanja, co-founders of Her Black Book (HBB), who alongside our TRW Founder, Christie Whitehill, will delight us with a fireside chat about their journey with HBB and her strategies in building strong connections in the startup ecosystem.

Her Black Book is a premium Shopping and Discovery App that houses exclusive offers, cashback promotions and new arrivals alerts from more than 700+ much-loved retail brands including Gucci, Net-a-porter, YSL Beauty and Camilla and Marc to name a few.

Launching in November 2021, Her Black Book is backed by Touch Ventures, Andrew Hagger among other high-profile investors. Just three months in, Her Black Book raised $1.6m in an oversubscribed round.

Between them, Sasi and Stevanja have garnered multiple awards, including a World Retail Award. Together they are using their deep understanding of brand experience and business challenges to drive e-commerce innovation through Her Black Book.

TRW Female Founder Panel:

• Hester Fleming - Founder, Hester Fleming Vintage 

Hester is a vintage costume jewellery specialist and writer, based in Balmain, Sydney. Following a family background in the antiques trade and a professional background in marketing and advertising, she decided to follow a lifelong dream and start a sustainable jewellery and accessories business. Shopping sustainably is the way forward, and Hester believes that we need to do all we can, to preserve our planet.

• Jeannie-Marie Noyce - Founder of Brenna

Brenna is a new communication app for residential aged care. It provides family members with updates on residents health and wellbeing through a mobile app. Brenna makes communication between residential aged care homes and the family members of residents simple and easy. Our mission is to redefine communication in aged care.

• Nandeeta Maharaj - Founder of Goods 4 Good

Nandeeta's last role in the food insecurity space inspired her to create Goods 4 Good. In that role, she learnt what a difference just one determined Social Enterprise could make in the lives of so many people. When that role ended, it was time to start something new that was as fulfilling. With so many causes needing our attention, working with Social Enterprises that help these causes presented as the best place to start. Goods 4 Good is an online marketplace connecting you to products from social enterprises and the causes that matter to you.

What to expect

6 PM - 6.30 PM Networking

6.35 PM - 6.40 PM Event formalities

6.40 PM - 7.20 PM Inspirational Fireside Chat

7.20 PM - 7.50 PM TRW Female Founder Panel + Q&A

7.50 PM - 8.05 PM Female Founder Connect Launch + Details

8.05 PM - 8.30 PM Networking

Place and date

📍Sydney Startup Hub: Level 1, 11-31 York St, SYDNEY NSW 2000

🗓️ Wednesday, 7 September from 6 PM to 8.30 PM

Who are we

Tech Ready Women supports females to receive world-class tech and entrepreneurship education and mentorship, through our 8-week Female Founder Startup Program and now Female Founder Connect Community.

We are excited to see you there!