Meet Jo Palmer – Our New Program Lead at Tech Ready Women

We’ve got some exciting news to share at Tech Ready Women – we’ve welcomed a new Program Lead, Jo Palmer, to the team!

Jo is here to help lead our founder programs and support women across Australia as they build and grow their startups. We recently had a chat with her to learn more about her background and what she’s bringing to our community of female founders.

From Teacher to Tech Founder

Jo started her career as a primary school teacher, but life took her in a different direction. Over time, she got into running small businesses and eventually launched her own tech startup – even though she wasn’t a “techy” person.

“I’ve been through a bunch of startup programs myself over the last ten years,” Jo said. “So I really understand what it’s like – the ups and downs – and how valuable the right support can be.”

Why She Joined Tech Ready Women

Jo’s super excited to be part of the team – especially because the programs we run are exactly what she wishes she had when she was starting out.

“I made a lot of mistakes and spent way more time and money than I needed to. If I’d had this kind of support back then, things would’ve been a lot easier,” she shared.

Now she’s here to help other women avoid those same mistakes and grow their businesses with confidence.

What’s Coming in 2025?

Big things are happening this year! For the first time ever, we’re running two startup cohorts at once of the TRW Female Founder Startup Program – one for women across Australia, and another just for those in New South Wales.

“We’ve also got some amazing new mentors coming on board,” Jo said. “Some of them I’ve followed for years – total fangirl moment! It’s awesome that our founders will get to learn from them.”

Mentoring That Builds Confidence

Jo believes good mentoring isn’t about telling people what to do – it’s about listening, asking questions, and helping founders make decisions that feel right for them.

“As a mentor, I’m here to be a sounding board,” she said. “I won’t give you a to-do list – I’ll help you figure out your own path and connect you to people who can help.”

Jo’s Advice for Founders

Jo’s top tip for new founders?

“Tell everyone what you’re working on!”

“Don’t keep your idea a secret – talk to lots of people,” she said. “You’ll get helpful feedback, hear about similar ideas, or find ways to make your idea even better. Just make sure you’re not only asking friends and family – ask people who’ll be honest with you.”

About Jo

Jo is a champion for women in entrepreneurship with deep experience as a founder and innovation leader. She has designed and delivered impactful programs across Australia, connecting entrepreneurs to mentorship, funding and commercialisation pathways. As the founder of Pointer Remote and The Connection Table, Jo has been a strong voice for remote work and regional inclusion. Most recently, she led innovation programs at Charles Sturt University, focused on building diverse, inclusive innovation ecosystems.

With a background spanning education, recruitment, advocacy and startups, Jo brings both lived experience and strategic insight. She’s especially passionate about creating equitable access for rural, remote and underrepresented founders in the innovation and tech space.

Want to Connect with Jo?

Jo loves meeting new people. You can reach out to her on LinkedIn (she’s on there most days!) or send her an email at [email protected].

And if you’re a female founder with a great idea, don’t forget – applications for the Female Founder Startup Program close on 14 April!

👉 Head to techreadywomen.com to learn more and apply.
📬 Sign up to our newsletter for program updates, founder tips, and more.

Welcome to the team, Jo – we’re so excited to have you on board!