The SA Government has launched the second round of the Fearless Innovator Grant Program to encourage more women in South Australia to expand their start-ups into global markets.
This initiative, created to bridge the gap in early-stage capital access for women, is administered by Women in Innovation (WINN) along with the Fearless Females Network (FFN).
The program provides two types of funding to women entrepreneurs.
The Scale-Up Grant offers a single $60,000 grant to a business ready to increase product or service sales and expand into international markets.
Two Accelerate Grants of $20,000 each are available to support early-stage businesses in accelerating growth and establishing a market presence. An extra $20,000 grant supported by Westpac will be awarded based on merit, bringing the total funding for 2025 to $120,000.
Coinciding with these opportunities is the State Government’s commitment to match funding of up to $50,000, helping to spur further financial support and maximise available resources for emerging female founders.
This funding initiative was first introduced in 2024 as a response to the severe underrepresentation of female founders in venture capital dealings, highlighted by the 2024 State of Australian Startup Funding report. This report noted that only two percent of all venture capital funds were allocated to female founders.
The program forms part of the broader initiatives under the SA Government to promote research and innovation conducive to economic growth and wellbeing in South Australia.
It continues the efforts of the $4 million Women in Business program, which has already aided over 3,600 women in enhancing their business and skill sets, and it aligns with principles set forth in the $14 million SA Small Business Strategy.
Interested applicants have until 11:59pm ACST on Sunday June 8 to submit their applications. A special awards night scheduled for September this year will honour the successful recipients.
Education Minister Susan Close highlighted the broader benefits of supporting women in the startup sector by stating, “Removing barriers to women in the startup community will benefit our state’s long term prosperity including by helping to access larger national and international markets.”
She added, “These grants are an important investment in entrepreneurial South Australian women wanting to expand their enterprises and help grow our state’s economy. We are pleased to partner with Women in Innovation and the Fearless Females Network to boost opportunities for women and to foster a more inclusive and diverse business and startup community.”
Andrea Michaels, also supporting the initiative, commented, “The Fearless Innovators program is a fantastic opportunity for South Australian women in business to access the early-stage capital they need to grow and scale their ventures.”
She mentioned the prior success of the program by stating, “Last year’s recipients have already expanded their businesses, grown their teams and entered new markets, and I look forward to seeing what this year’s recipients will achieve.”
Deborah Faehrmann, a 2024 Accelerate Grant recipient and Founder and Director of Healthy Heads, reflected on the impact of the grant on her business.
“Winning the 2024 Fearless Innovator Grant program has transformed my business and my confidence—new products, global collaborations, investor interest, and real brand recognition has followed,” she said.
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