From cancer detection to a rollerskating club: The female-led startups awarded in UNSW Founders’ New Wave program

Startups dedicated to early lung cancer detection, a mental healthcare app, and a female rollerskating club are among the winners of The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Founders New Wave Cohort 10 showcase, taking home a share of $13,000 in cash prizes to grow their female-led businesses. 

Last month, female founders pitched their ideas to a panel of New Wave judges and an audience in hopes of securing much-needed business funding.

Since its launch in 2019, UNSW’s New Wave program has boosted than 175 startups and connected over 500 female founders connected with professional network and industry experts, helping them up-skill to launch their own startups.

The 2022 Cohort 10 winners include:

• ONCOBREATH: A female-led start up with an innovative plan to detect and diagnose lung cancer early. They were the judge’s winner in the New Wave Program and received $4000 towards growing and expanding their business.
• HiMAMA!: a women-led startup with an idea to approve maternal healthcare by creating an app on your smartphone. The app is yet to be launched, but HiMAMA! Walked away with the People’s Choice Award and $1,500 to help them in developing and launching their app.
• Setara Skate Co.: A female skate club and light-up wheel retailer which won the UNSW Business School Innovation Award and received $2,500 to grow their business.
• Maeve: Received $2,500 and the UNSW Faculty of Engineering Award to make their women’s health hub, complete with coaches and virtual care, possible.
• Understand Your Brain: Founded by Dr Hayley North, the business walked away with the UNSW Dean of Science Award and $2,500 to continue to empower employees with an understanding of their brain and strategies to improve mental health, wellbeing and productivity through seminars and workshops.

UNSW Founders New Wave Program Manager Kristen Phillips said the program offers access to skills-building workshops, expert masterclasses and industry-leading mentors.

“This program is all about supporting and empowering women and addressing the gender gap in entrepreneurship by launching more women-led startups,” she said.

“Most of the women who come through this program are pitching for the first time, which is inspirational to see.

“One of the biggest challenges for female startups is access to funding, sometimes it can take up to 9 months to secure funding. Women continue to be underrepresented and face challenging barriers when it comes to launching startups, and we want to change that.

“We want to give these women the confidence to launch their own startups. Our mission is to support and inspire female founders, which is why we have pulled together resources, workshops and events for them to access during the program.”

Ms Phillips confirmed that all funding received by the startups would go towards growing and launching their businesses.

The New Wave program runs twice annually in the university term breaks.