The TRW Investment Ready Program is for female founders across Australia with an innovation driven enterprise looking to access capital. 

To be eligible for this program, businesses will have:

• A scalable solution, that solves a problem for one or multiple customer groups;
• First customers and/or revenue; and
• A company structure, or in the process of undertaking company registration.

This industry-agnostic program covers various stages of startup growth and embraces founder diversity.

We welcome female founders from underserved communities including women who are diverse, based in regional communities, CALD, Women of Colour, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and/or returning to work.

We recognise and acknowledge the intersection of race and gender identities. Our program is offered to marginalised genders including women, women-identifying individuals, and non-binary and gender non-conforming people who are comfortable in a community space that centres on the education, mentoring and business support of women in the startup ecosystem.

The TRW Investment Ready Program is ideal for startups in the startup stage (product-market-fit), growth stage (growing revenue) or expansion stage (massive scaling). 

For startups in the initial stages of the journey, we recommend applying or expressing your interest for the TRW Female Founder Startup Program.

Head to our website and register your details. Then, you will receive an email with your application form. Via this application form, we will gather information about your startup business and stage to learn more about you and how this program can help you. You will also be required to provide your pitch deck; this doesn’t have to be flawless, that’s what our program will help you achieve. Cover the basics in your pitch deck: Problem, Customer, Solution, Market, Team, and Your Ask.

Once we have received your application you will be notified if you have been shortlisted by the date specified on our website.

The top 20 applicants will be selected for the program and will be notified via email and/or phone.

Application close dates are advised on the website and included in the application email.

Criteria for judging are based on the following:

• You self-identify as a woman or you are a non-binary and gender non-conforming individual who is comfortable in a community space that centres on the education, mentoring and business support of women in the startup ecosystem;
• You have founded and lead an innovation driven enterprise; 
• Your startup business has a scalable solution, that solves a problem for one or multiple customer groups;
• Your startup business has proven traction by first users/customers and/or revenue growth;
• Your startup business has a company structure, or is in the process of undertaking company registration;
• Your business is at the startup, growth or expansion stage;
• You are looking to access capital funding to grow or scale your business.

The judging panel considers the criteria outlined before along with the additional information provided by the applicant via the application form to determine whether the application is successful. This assessment is performed case by case.

We will spend time reviewing each application before deciding on the final participants to ensure those selected will benefit the most out of the program. 

Our judging panel will score each application based on the eligibility criteria listed above. The top 20 applicants will be selected and offered a part scholarship for this program.

Places are limited so if your application is not successful for this round we will encourage you to reapply for the next intake. We want to see you succeed so will also refer you to other programs and communities that can support your stage of business.

This program is for permanent residents and Australian citizens. If you're a visa holder, we won't be able to offer you a spot in this program.

Yes, we will not disclose your application details to any unauthorised parties or sources. We ensure confidentiality of the information with the data that you provide to us via the application form.

If you are concerned about your startup idea IP, you don't need to share with us anything you wouldn't share in a public forum.

Yes, you can! If your business partner or co-founder identifies as a woman, then she can participate in the program with you. When applying, please mention the details of your business partner/co-founder in the correspondent question.

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Westpac, we are offering 20 part-scholarships for participants selected for the program. With this support, the $6,295 (incl. GST) program fee has been heavily subsidised, leaving you to pay just $795.30 (incl. GST).

No, payment plans are not available for this program. If you are applying for this program, it means that your startup business is generating initial revenue and has the funds to cover the fee of the program.

If a company purchases the course, that company can claim the GST. The course is tax-deductible, however please seek advice from your accountant.

The next program starts on the week of 17 February 2025!

If the start or end date is moved, we will update communications and let you know as soon as possible.

The program has two parts:

• First Part: Intensive 6 weeks of weekly modules and workshops.
• Second Part: 4 months of ongoing support based on monthly advisory sessions and monthly check-ins.

During the first part of the program, you will get access to:

• Hybrid Orientation Night: Begin the program with an in-person event , connecting with fellow founders and the TRW team. This event will also be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person.
• Online Modules & Activities: Engage in immersive learning and practical activities designed to prepare your startup to access and leverage a range of capital opportunities.
• Weekly Workshops: These are an opportunity for you to meet a guest speaker who will dive into the topic of the week with the chance to ask your burning questions.
• Small-Group and One-on-one Mentoring Sessions: Receive the guidance you need in small-group or one-on-one settings where you will get a chance to ask questions, receive feedback and connect with other founders of your cohort.
• Due Diligence Support: Learn how to build your data room, with access to templates and examples, to present the key information investors want to see.

During the second part of the program, you will get access to:

• Monthly 1:1 Advisory Sessions: Receive feedback on your capital raising strategy, deck and documents in one-on-one advisory sessions. You will be allocated to an advisor who will walk alongside you during the next 4 months of the program to make sure you're on the right track.
• Investor Introductions: Access warm introductions to investors who are committed to supporting women-led startups.
• Monthly Founder Check-ins: Connect with the TRW team and a guest speaker once a month to continue leveraging your learning process.

Yes, the majority of the program will be held online to make it accessible for those with other responsibilities or based in regional areas.

The only in-person meet-up will be for Orientation Night which is a session that marks the start of the program. 

The first six weeks will require more time than most due to the online modules and mentoring sessions. We recommend you set aside at least 5 hours per week.

After the first six weeks, your time commitment will be based on the capital raising strategy you have adopted. In any case, we have one-hour monthly check-ins and one-hour 1:1 advisory sessions.

During the first 6 weeks of the program, you will get access to weekly Mentoring sessions. Mentoring sessions are held in small groups and one-on-one.

The small-group sessions are for 4 founders for a total of 60 minutes with one of your mentors/experts. These sessions are a great opportunity for founders to ask questions about the weekly content and address any immediate barriers, as well as connect with other founders in small settings.

You will also have access to one-on-one mentoring sessions which will be held to address financial projections, valuations and areas that are confidential in nature. 

After the first 6 weeks of the program, you will get access to monthly Advisory sessions. You will be allocated to an Advisor to guide you throughout the next 4 months of the program to help you implement your capital raising strategy. This is a great chance to keep yourself accountable, and ask any questions as well as get connections/warm introductions to investors.

Advisory sessions are one-on-one for a total of 60 minutes.

All of our mentors are either current investors and/or have raised startup capital. They understand the barriers women face and have direct experience in the capital raising process.