The Female Founders program was delivered by Spacecubed, a recipient of Round 3 of the X-TEND WA Program, in collaboration with SheCodes.
Background
The objective of the program was to empower and upskill women in WA, providing them with entrepreneurial capabilities and supporting them in pursuing their early-stage ideas. It also provides community and connection, 2 key elements essential for female founders to succeed.
Approach
The program was designed to support new businesses through digital skills with targeted workshops over 6 weeks. Participants also gained access to co-working space for the duration of the program and the months following.
Spacecubed stated, "Our experience in applying for the X-TEND grant was great, the process is easy to follow, and the guidelines provide insightful information to create a strong application that aligns with the mission of the fund."
Outcome
The X-TEND funding supported the Perth-based female founders program which provided entrepreneurial education to 21 participants. In the program, participants formed 6 teams, and learned how to build a business from scratch over 6 weeks. At the end of the program, they pitched their new businesses to 60 individuals at She Codes' Pitch Event.
Spacecubed ran Female Founders from February 2022 – August 2022 and delivered an additional year, from February 2023 – February 2024, through the support of the X-TEND WA program.
"On completion of the program, 75% of participants indicated that they saw an increase in their confidence for pursuing their ideas post-program and 83% of participants indicated that they had successfully formed a community and network of like-minded individuals, establishing connections with mentors, investors, and advisors. These numbers showcase that X-TEND has had a real impact on female founders in Perth.” says Spacecubed.
The X-TEND WA Program is one of several grants operating through the New Industries Fund.
Find X-TEND application information here:
