Women aspiring to set up their own business appear undeterred by the challenges facing the sector, with demand surging for a popular small business festival touring Australia.
The government-funded Female Founder Festival aims to support women who want to pursue their dreams of entrepreneurship, as well as prepare for a $60,000 Kickstarter competition.
The nationwide events are run by the Accelerator for Enterprising Women (AEW), in partnership with the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA), in a bid to drive up female entrepreneurship.
The number of business failures hit record numbers last year, figures from CreditorWatch’s Business Risk Index show, amid cost of living pressures and high interest rates.
AEW program director Fleur Anderson said that while many small businesses have been doing it tough, the festivals were being booked out well in advance.
She said the level of interest showed strong optimism among female entrepreneurs, and that there was never a more important time to throw support behind women wanting to start or grow their own enterprise.
“We are on a mission to boost the ranks of female entrepreneurs with events like the female founder festivals, and provide the tools to help Australian women realise their potential,” she said.
“This year we have changed the format to allow women more opportunities to network and also ask questions of our panellists so they can learn firsthand from a group of successful female entrepreneurs.”
Dr Anna Harrison, a brand expert and author who was a panellist at the Brisbane event, said the biggest challenges for women included funding bias, balancing work and family life, being underestimated and “asked if your husband is the real founder (yes, that’s still a thing)”.
“Until we fix who’s making the kids’ sandwiches, we don’t really make meaningful progress,” she said.
The festivals kicked off in Brisbane last month with upcoming events scheduled in May and June in Newcastle, Hobart, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne.
The Accelerator for Enterprising Women is part of the Future Female Entrepreneurs Program (FFEP), an innovative entrepreneurship program available free to all women and girls in Australia funded under the Australian Government’s Women’s Leadership and Development Program.
This year’s Female Founder Festivals bring a fresh, interactive approach to networking, business guidance, and exhibitor engagement. The revamped format includes:
- Kickstarter Challenge Booth – Hands-on support for women applying to the Accelerator for Enterprising Women’s $60k Kickstarter funding competition.
- Branding & Business Support Hub – Practical tools for logo creation, social media content, and marketing strategies.
- Industry & Government Exhibitors – Expert guidance on intellectual property, business taxation, and international trade opportunities.
- Local Small Business Showcase – A platform for regional businesses to connect and foster community engagement.
- Virtual Mentor Booth – Access to AI-powered mentoring and virtual coaching tools.
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