Elevating Female Founders

Elevate your emerging tech company! ðŸš€

If you are a Technology Startup or Scale up with a Product in market and looking for the program to help you with growth, this is the program for you!  The Elevating Female Founders Program meets you where you are, providing deep experience and networks to help Elevate Female Founders and take their business to the next level!

Applications for our second cohort have closed.

Stay tuned for our next cohort applications, opening in October 2025!
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💡 Program Overview

At River City Labs we strive to be the catalyst for tech innovation and Emerging Tech Companies solving global problems, we propose using our deep experience and network to help Elevate Female Founders to take their businesses to the next level

We will meet you where you as an entrepreneur on your business journey and provide a bespoke mix of cohort-based and 1:1 support initiative that guide you to your goal no matter where your starting point is.

More about the program:

  • Duration will be 8 months. With the first 4 months structured delivery, with a reduced structure last 4 months plus access to the Labs Digital Membership and community online until 31 November 2025.
  • Program starts 9 December 2024!
  • The program will be made up of companies with a product in market, requiring help with Growth, Team, Capital Raising Pathways, Product and Go to Market. 
  • This program is a virtual program. If you wish to work out of River City Labs or another Labs owned by the Australia Computer Society, you can discuss this with labs@acs.org.au and you will be required to fund your seat.
  • Fee-Free: This 8-month program is completely fee-free, thanks to Advance Queensland.
  • The program will include:
    • dedicated workshops to enable your goals.
    • Industry connections and mentoring
    • Dedicated Mentor and Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR/MIR) support for the first 8 months of the program.
  • You will receive access to the Labs Digital Membership for 12 months from 9 December 2024. You will also receive:
    • Program Member T-shirt
    • All the Labs' Partner and Digital perks valued up to $200K 
      For example. Discounts and credits Tech Subscriptions, Hosting Services with Tech Partners, CRMs and the Labs' other Programs and resources.
    • Access to the Labs' Talent Landing Pad Pool of interns and tech professionals
    • Access to the Labs' Mentor Database, where you can book meetings with industry professionals across many domains
    • Access to the CA In-Residence Program, offering members free chartered accountant advisory services
    • Invites to events, learning and networking sessions
    • Referrals into networks and business opportunities
    • Dedicated 1:1 mentoring with your matched EIR/MIR.
  • All applications will be reviewed and select applicants will go through a selection process.
  • Successful applicants will be invited to the Program.
  • Successful Applicants will be notified at least 2 weeks if not earlier prior to the program start date
  • Unsuccessful applicants will be notified prior to the program starting.
  • 20 successful companies will be part of Elevating Female Founders Program for this intake.
EFF - 2024 cohort - 3

Elevating Female Founders, Cohort 1

Entry Criteria

  • Must identify as a Female Founder.
  • Must be a resident or have a Business registered in Queensland, Australia.
  • Must be a Tech Startup or Scale up company, therefore delivering new technology to the market; or disrupt and transform existing products of services with Technology. Tech Startups or Scale ups have a high growth potential and sits across multiple Markets).
  • Completed Applications including detail on your business.
  • Ability to submit a 5 min recorded video of yourself and your business and the support you need, only used for the application review.
  • Ability to dedicate a minimum of 10 hours per week on the program for the first 4 months dedicated support with 10 hours per fortnight for the duration up to 8 months. This does not include working on your business.
  • Ability to start the program in December 2024 and commit the time and effort to succeed and excel and go the distance of the program. 
  • Ability to travel to Brisbane, Australia in the last week of August 2025.