The Kickstarter Challenge is a competition for female entrepreneurs with a new business idea. Kickstart your business by entering this national competition and be in the running to win some amazing prizes, including a life-changing share of $60,000 equity-free prize money to help you accelerate your business idea. 

Check out the terms and conditions to learn more.

You have until 5:00pm 1 October 2025 AEDT to submit your idea.

One finalist from each category will be flown to Canberra to attend the Kickstarter Challenge Grand Final where they will pitch their ideas to a panel of industry experts. 

The finalists will receive the support needed to bring their ideas to life including a share of $60,000 equity-free prize pool, media training, mentorship opportunities and much more!

It’s really simple. All you have to do is submit your idea via the Kickstarter Entry page on our website. Make sure you familiarise yourself with the judging criteria in order to give yourself the best chance of standing out.

Check out the terms and conditions to learn more.

Feeling unsure about your submission? Our AccelerateHER video series offer clear guidance to present your idea effectively AND valuable growth strategies. These videos reveal what makes a winning submission and elevates your business strategy. Don’t miss out on this vital knowledge – watch before you submit, as changes to your application won’t be possible later. Make sure your pitch is as strong as it can be! 

Whilst as the promotion organisers we can’t review your entry or provide specific feedback, we can answer any questions you might have. Contact us here.

Good entrepreneurs convey their business idea, unique selling point and target audience precisely. Strong submissions are short and to the point.

Character limits are included in the form fields of your submission. If you choose to include a video into your submission (we recommend you do) we recommend this be as close to the 60 second time limit as possible. Entries won’t be disqualified if videos are longer than 60 seconds. 

We recommend you watch the AccelerateHER Video Series. These videos are targeted at helping you refine your business idea. 

Health, Wellbeing and The Care Economy: How can we innovate to address the health and wellbeing challenges facing Australians?

Environment and Sustainability: What sustainable solutions can help protect our environment and climate?

Community Impact: What innovative idea will empower and provide value to the community?

Technology: How can current and emerging technologies drive Australia’s economic prosperity, national security, and social cohesion?

Education: What solutions will promote successful teaching and learning or improve educational outcomes for Australians?

The judging criteria is based on the following key outcomes: 

How well you communicate your vision.

The relevance of your idea to the category.

How well you communicated your vision

The relevance of your idea to the category

How strong is your unique selling point?

The explanation and understanding of the target market

How financially viable is your idea

How thorough your competitive analysis is

Does your Marketing strategy create brand loyalty and consumer following?

The clarity and strength of the overall submission (including presentation, branding and pitch video

Business ideas can only be entered into one category, so be sure to choose the one that’s most appropriate for you.

Yes, you can. We celebrate entrepreneurship and all of your ideas.

This challenge is to help women kickstart their new businesses, therefore your business must meet the following criteria:

– Be registered and have their primary place of business within Australia

– Hold a current ABN, either as a sole trader or associated with the business idea/name entered, 

– If trading, commenced on or after 1 July 2023

– Have business revenue below $75,000 in the last 12 months of trading from date of application, inclusive of grants 

– Have a business banking account in the name of the business idea submitted set up prior to entering or be willing to set one up if successful as a finalist. 

That’s okay, however, the Accelerator for Enterprising Women exists to help women kickstart their business journey. Therefore, to be eligible you must be a female-founded startup, majority owned and led by women, inclusive of those who identify as female. 

Please double check that you have supplied a Vimeo or Youtube URL for a specific video (not a channel). Also double check your video is set to “public”. If it still isn’t showing, contact us here.