Techstars’ 2024 cohort kicks off with record number of women-led startups

Twelve startups have been chosen for the 2024 Techstars Sydney accelerator, supported by the NSW government. Over 13 weeks, the companies will receive mentoring, training and funding opportunities at Tech Central. 

The 2024 cohort includes 10 startups with at least one female founder, with the businesses tackling a range of industries – including healthtech and sustainable fashion.

This is certainly good news for the industry, which saw the closure of the Boosting Female Founders program — as well as other women-focused tech programs — in July.

“These founders are the most diverse group ever seen in a generalist accelerator in Australia — not just in who they are, but in the type of problem they are solving, and the scale of impact that they will deliver through their businesses,” Kirstin Hunter, managing director of Techstars, said.

The Techstars Sydney accelerator first launched in 2023, with an aim to help grow the state’s startup ecosystem. 

The program has already supported businesses like SeenCulture, a workplace talent management platform which raised $1 million in capital after completing the program.

“Being a part of the Techstars program was without a doubt the best thing that has happened to SeenCulture and has been instrumental to laying the foundations for our early-stage startup to succeed,” Nikki Tugano, CEO and founder of SeenCulture, said.

One of this year’s notable participants is Jaimee, an AI companion designed to help women manage stress, build confidence, and navigate relationships. 

“Meeting the other founders, I was impressed by the high quality of commercial thinking and the diverse range of ideas, from support for disadvantaged groups to sustainability, and in our case, addressing the gender data gap in AI,” Jaimee co-founder, Sreyna Rath, said.

“We’re honoured and excited to be part of this ecosystem to refine our strategy and launch Jaimee internationally,” 

Minister for Innovation, Science, and Technology Anoulack Chanthivong reiterated the NSW Government’s commitment to supporting startups.

 “The NSW Government is proud to support Techstars with its world-leading accelerator program at Tech Central, which will foster the next generation of entrepreneurs in our innovation system,” Minister Chanthivong said,

“I’m delighted such a diverse group has been selected for this accelerator with 10 female-led startups to go through the program.”

This news follows the announcement of a new pilot program last week which will give NSW startups the opportunity to expand their businesses into South-East Asia. The International Landing Pad program is supported by the NSW government and is being run out at the Sydney Startup Hub.

Here is a full list of the 2024 Techstars cohort:

• Canopy – An AI-enabled misconduct and psychosocial safety reporting platform.
• Dispute Buddy — Creates searchable timelines of texts and messages to resolve legal disputes quickly.
• Earthletica – Australian-designed activewear utilising cutting edge sustainable materials and practices, co-founded by Paris Olympics gold medallist Bronte Campbell.
• Female Startup Club – Connects female entrepreneurs with the training and resources they need to build their businesses.
• Gether – An AI-assistant that frees working parents from their mental load.
• Heatseeker – An AI-enabled platform to help companies grow through quick and easy market tests.
• Jaimee – An AI companion for women to assist with stress management, confidence building and relationships.
• NEVAM CX – Empowers brands to perfect their customer experience across every channel.
• OD-AI – Supports organisations to implement the policies, processes and training to create best practice compliance.
• Shutterspeed – An automatic time/cost tracker and business assistant to make content creation more efficient and profitable.
• Understanding Zoe – Supports parents and carers of neurodivergent children to apply therapist recommendations at home, school and beyond.
• Visuo – Delivers AI powered personalised video experiences to enable brands to drive better customer acquisition, loyalty and retention.

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