NSW FLIP Opens Applications for Women Founders in 2026

The NSW FLIP Programme, a free statewide initiative for women entrepreneurs, is expanding support for early-stage founders across New South Wales through business training, mentoring, leadership development and potential access to seed funding.

Launched in May 2026, the Female Leadership & Innovation Programme (FLIP) is led by the University of Newcastle’s Integrated Innovation Network (I2N), which was selected by the NSW Government to deliver the initiative. The programme forms part of the government’s AUD 4 million Diversity Pre-Accelerator Programme and aims to support 188 female founders over two years.

Key Highlights:

• NSW FLIP opens applications until 20 September 2026
• The free programme supports 188 women founders over two years
• At least 50% of places target regional NSW founders

FLIP is open to women aged 18 and above who live in NSW, regardless of their stage in the founder journey. Applicants do not need a university affiliation or an established business. Women developing early-stage ideas, community solutions or innovative projects can also apply, provided they can identify a problem they want to address and demonstrate potential for their idea to grow.

Applications for the second 2026 intake opened on 3 August 2026 and close on 20 September 2026. The programme will run from 8 October to 3 December 2026. Eligible applicants can submit their applications through the University of Newcastle’s I2N platform.

The programme follows a two-phase structure designed to help participants move from early ideas towards viable ventures. The seven-week Founder Readiness phase combines online workshops, group coaching and networking to help participants test their ideas, understand customer needs and assess their potential.

Participants who progress to the next stage enter the nine-week Pre-Accelerator Intensive, which combines immersive workshops with weekly small-group “pod” coaching. The training covers customer validation, business model development, startup finance, leadership, storytelling and pitching, alongside communication, resilience and authentic leadership.

FLIP will conclude with a Showcase event, where participants can pitch their ventures and potentially secure further support. The MacDougall Foundation is contributing AUD 200,000 over two years towards mentoring and support for selected ventures, including potential seed funding for standout businesses.

Regional inclusion remains a major focus of the programme, with at least 50 per cent of places reserved for founders from regional NSW. This aims to improve access to entrepreneurial networks, mentoring and startup resources for women outside major centres.

Participants will also join the FLIP alumni network, creating opportunities for continued peer learning, collaboration and professional connections after the programme ends.

The initiative builds on a longer-running regional programme that has supported more than 188 startups and small businesses, which have collectively raised over AUD 63 million and created hundreds of jobs, according to programme information.

FLIP comes as women continue to face a significant funding gap in Australia's startup ecosystem. Figures cited by the programme show that all-female founding teams were on track to receive less than 0.5 per cent of Australian venture capital in 2025, compared with 2 per cent in 2024 and 4 per cent in 2023.

By providing free access to training, coaching, mentoring and founder networks, FLIP aims to strengthen the pipeline of investable women-led ventures and help more women across NSW turn innovative ideas into sustainable businesses.