Our recent Female Founders Pitch Night wasn’t just another pitch event. Moving beyond the funding gap, it was designed to address the lack of access for female founders to the resources, contacts and networks crucial for business growth.
Held in partnership with Entrepreneurs in Residence, and sponsored by the City of Perth, we were thrilled to have over 100 people come together at The Platform Perth, to celebrate the ingenuity and ambition of female founders in Western Australia.
The evening kicked off with inspiring opening remarks from Jodi Cant, Director General Department of Finance, who reminded us to “get out of our own way.” She highlighted the tendency for women to underestimate their abilities and encouraged us to step forward and embrace our potential. As Jodi put it: “Women get s#$% done.”
Following Jodi’s powerful message, eight exceptional female founders took to the stage to pitch their ventures. Their pitches were judged by a panel of industry experts:
- Isis Nair – Product Management Executive, Ex-Googler, Angel Investor
- Marlon Juenemann – Managing Director of Ubuntu Ventures
- Dr Genevieve Hohnen, PhD – cofounder of The Volte
Meet the Founders
Maggie Ciobanu – Yoochooz (Judges Choice Winner!)
Maggie, a concerned mother turned tech innovator, developed Yoochooz, an app designed to prevent cyberbullying by encouraging children to “stop, think, reflect” before sending messages.
Jessica Rees – CuddleCup (People’s Choice Winner!)
A neonatal intensive care nurse, Jessica created CuddleCup, a self-heating packaging solution for baby formula inspired by her experiences with newborns and their families.
Fiona Dunne – GlowDry Australia
Fiona, a beauty industry veteran, introduced GlowDry, an innovative fake tan drying powder that offers a convenient and sustainable solution for self-tanning.
Sarah Hussein – Industrial Metaverse
Sarah co-founded Industrial Metaverse, a VR-based training company focused on improving soft skills and mental wellness in the workplace.
Grace Seah-Tan – Okuru
Grace, a non-tech founder, developed Okuru, a B2B gift card platform designed to empower small businesses with a cost-effective solution to expand their reach and revenue.
Danielle Dennis – Kempt Body
With over 20 years of experience in marketing, Danielle leads Kempt Body, offering a convenient and chemical-free hair removal solution for busy women.
Karen Coubrough – Deco Magic
An award-winning pastry chef, Karen invented Deco Magic, a unique edible metallic gel for cake decorating, showcasing her commitment to innovation and sustainability.
Bec Nguyen – Upbeat Digital
Bec leads Upbeat Digital, a creative agency focused on delivering impactful digital solutions, including app development and UX design, with a focus on empowering underrepresented communities.
A very big thank you to our sponsors:
- Entrepreneurs in Residence – mentoring for our winners.
- We Are Emersyn Foundation – $2000 cash prize for the judges choice winner.
- Mette is Baking – who provided their award winning Nordic crackers and dip mix for the judges and gave every participant a pack of delicious crackers. Plus the gift bags were of course Mette is Baking canvas bags.
- Broun Communications – PR package for both winners.
- Wrays – IP HealthCheck for the People’s Choice winner.
- Free From Family Co – delicious gluten free lollies for the judges and founders pitching.
- Wabi Sabi Marshmallows – fluffy and delicious marshmallows for the judges and founders pitching.
And a big shout out to everyone that attended to celebrate female entrepreneurship and show their support. Thank you.
The event was proudly supported by the City of Perth through its Economic Development Sponsorship Program.
We Are Emersyn uses an inclusive definition “female” and “women” and we welcome trans people, women, genderqueer women, and non-binary people who identify, have identified, or have been identified as female, women, or non-binary.