Aussie Founders Club

𝐁𝐞 𝐚 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲 2025: 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐏𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 We’re building something extraordinary for IWD 2025, and we need your support to make it happen. This year’s event, built around the UN theme 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥, is all about 𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬, and 𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 to reshape the startup ecosystem. Your sponsorship will help us: 💸 𝐏𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 and platform voices that need to be heard. 🌟  𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 pushing boundaries for women and non-binary founders. 🎉  𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞  for connection, inspiration, and action. This breakfast event is about celebrating those who are boldly taking action to change the narrative of inequality in startups and tech. It’s about examining how we – as a community – can push forward with greater intention to build a future where 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞. While progress has been made, women and non-binary people globally still face systemic barriers, rising violence, and economic disparities that limit their potential. These challenges are deeply felt within the startup ecosystem. This event is designed to 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬, 𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 Aussie Founders Club (AFC)? Over the past year, we’ve hosted 14 incredible events, including an almost 200-person, multi-venue end-of-year celebration. We’re taking that momentum into 2025, and 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭. Help ensure that 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 isn’t just a theme – it’s a movement that accelerates change for generations to come. Let me know if you want to be apart of this. It might seem strange to open up sponsorship calls on LinkedIn but we're truly an open community - we source recommendations for speakers, we work hard to create an inclusive space, and are always open to new relationships

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐈 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫: A Coffee challenge—or rather, a 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞 / 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐚 𝐜𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐢𝐭 for my anxiety-riddled body. In 2024, it was 100 Founder Coffees where I spent on average two hours learning the stories of Aussie Founders and how they became founders. I then spent even longer writing these up—a task that, in hindsight, would be much better suited to a podcast 👀. 𝐈𝐧 2025, 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐭 100 𝐂𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐬 / 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐬 / 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 / 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 100 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞? I'm usually spinning on my feet at any event that I run, without much time to truly connect with the people I'm running these events for. I miss out on hearing the challenges they face, the ideas they have for what founders need to succeed, and making connections in the community. I'd love to do a lighter version of last year's challenge and let it guide me in driving how I can support founders, learn their stories, and help where I can. If you're interested in catching up, whether you're in Melbourne or anywhere else in Australia, let me know via my Airtable below. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐈 𝐦𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 that got published before I melted from the task I set myself—which reminds me, their story deserves sharing again, so I will pop it into the newsletter over the next couple of eps! You can subscribe to this via the Aussie Founders Club'𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞.

Help me with the first Aussie Founders Club panel line up! After speaking to a founder who is in the process of planning their Launch Party, I started thinking about how a Launch Party is one small part of the awareness piece of a start up going live. It made me think, what's the roadmap early stage founders should follow to really gain traction with their audience and let them know, they've arrived! So this is going to be the topic of our first AFC - following a very similar tune from the fabulous panel pictured! As always, I want to know from you names of people you think could be interesting to hear from on this topic. I want to hear about people who have done it both ways: 1. Founders who have made a splash via founder first awareness (arguably content) campaigns and personal branding exercises. 2. Founders who have made a splash by putting the product first Leave your recommendations below or if you prefer, message me!

And we've got our first reel back from our Gen Z (and far cooler than me) social gals - one of my favourite bits post event! They've pulled together such a fun wrap on an unforgettable day! From inspiring speakers to incredible venues and so many great conversations, this celebration was one for the books. There’s still more to share in the coming days (so stay tuned 👀), but for now, we just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who showed up, connected, and made this community what it is. Here's to 2O25 and building off the year that was 🎉 🎥 Shelina Fernando Isumi Narasinghe Sayuri Fernando Marie Dowling Liz van Zyl

In 2025, I really want to build Aussie Founders Club with the community, starting with our 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲 event 💜 The official United Nations theme this year is “𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝", and I’m so excited to explore what this means in the startup world. To make this event truly reflect the energy and ambition of the community, I’d love 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 input! Here’s the plan so far: ✨ A incredible keynote speaker to kick things off. We’re not looking for the biggest name; we're seeking someone who is creating change and can share unique, powerful stories. We aim to showcase women who might not have traditional platforms but bring fresh, transformative perspectives from all backgrounds. ✨ Followed by a panel discussion with amazing voices from the ecosystem to deep dive into how we push the line forward in our march. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧: 👉 Who’s a founder or investor in Melbourne who’s 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦 for female founders? I’m looking for inspiring stories of people who are paving new paths, breaking down barriers, and redefining what’s possible for women in startups. Got someone in mind? Drop their name in the comments (or DM me if that’s easier). Whether it’s a founder building something incredible or an investor reshaping the landscape, I’d love to spotlight their story. _____________________________________________ In 2025, we’re making 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 the theme for Aussie Founders Club. What does that mean? ✨ Shaping events around 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 input. ✨ Spotlighting founders and speakers 𝘺𝘰𝘶 want to hear from. ✨ Sharing stories and insights that matter most to 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭? ➡️ Head to our website, sign up for the newsletter, and receive an invite to our Slack community to make sure you don't miss the conversation. 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 Aussie Founders Club 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶!

✨ New Year, New Stories! ✨ As we step into 2025, I’m reflecting on how 2024 ended on such a high note. I had the privilege of speaking on a panel at Australia’s Biggest Startup Storytelling Event, surrounded by some of the brightest minds and most inspiring voices in our entrepreneurial ecosystem. Storytelling has always been close to my heart. As the host of The Birchal Podcast, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to share the journeys of founders and innovators who are shaping Australia’s vibrant startup landscape. Their stories of grit, passion, and creativity never fail to inspire me and I hope they inspire you too. This year, I’m excited to uncover even more stories that highlight the resilience and ingenuity behind some of Australia’s most exciting ventures. There’s so much to learn from the people who dare to dream big and make it happen. Here’s to a year of new beginnings, bold ideas, and the power of storytelling to connect us all. #Storytelling #Startups #BirchalPodcast #NewYearNewStories Aussie Founders Club

Help us shape out our 2025 - we'd love if you can spare a minute or two to give us your thoughts on what you'd like to see from us in the new year!

We’re still buzzing from Australia’s Biggest Startup Xmas Event, hosted by Aussie Founders Club! 🎉 What an incredible way to celebrate the year, surrounded by an amazing community of founders, innovators, and dreamers🚀 A massive thank you to Megan Luttrell, Liz van Zyl, Marie Dowling, and everyone else who worked tirelessly to bring this event to life! If you'd like to gain support to build an impactful community, pop your name down to hear about when Cohort #6 applications launch: https://lnkd.in/g5qZ7m37

Last week, our Client Director Sam Morgan took the stage to deliver an insightful workshop on "Mastering PR for Startup Growth" at Aussie Founders Club's Australia's Biggest Startup Storytelling Event, sharing strategies and practical tips to help startups amplify their voices, build reputation and make an impact in the media. A big thank you to the Aussie Founders Club for hosting a jam-packed, inspiring event to close out the year. We look forward to what's in store next year!

Good golly this was a year. 2024 kicked off with a lot of energy and great ideas for what The Product Bus could become, and my youngest starting chemotherapy. It ends with a fully recovered kid (far and away the biggest win) and a business that has grown, changed, failed, changed, and grown again. The (metaphorical) bus still has it's training wheels on, and for everyone who has hopped on at different points to help try to work out where it's going, I am unspeakably grateful. Putting together the obligatory EOY photo gallery was a good opportunity to remember all the fantastic opportunities I've had this year, thanks to great crews like Aussie Founders Club, UNE SMART Region Incubator, Mayfly Ventures, Stone & Chalk and more. Speaking opportunities, workshops, amazing events that spoke to the heart of what I'm passionate about - helping founders navigate this crazy ecosystem with honest advice and practical help. Super proud to be a part of all of it. And of course, our client engagements are the best. Thanks Swinburne Innovation Studio, Stackle, Carer Manager Plus Pty Ltd, Booxhi Technologies Pty Ltd, ViVEDUS, Sesimi, The Pomegranate Circle, Powerblocks AU, CHALK Systems, The Eventful Learning Co. Pappyon and more for learning with us as we try to do something meaningful - you've helped me test out a bunch of things to work out how to best support the ecosystem moving forward. Again, what a year. And 2025.... my mind is already blown with all the things. I'm grateful, I'm excited, and SOOOOO tired. Holidays here we come - see you in the new year!