Fishburners Women's Accelerator

Fishburners Women's Accelerator, primarily known through initiatives like the Ascent program, is a dedicated effort by Fishburners, Australia's largest and longest-standing tech startup community, to empower female founders across the nation. While Fishburners itself is a not-for-profit incubator and co-working space established in 2011, the Women's Accelerator initiatives specifically address the significant gender investment gap faced by women-led startups. These programs provide targeted support, focusing on access to capital, robust networks, and tangible outcomes for women entrepreneurs.

The genesis of Fishburners traces back to 2011 when successful tech entrepreneurs Mike Casey and Pete Davison, an early PayPal investor, sought to cultivate a vibrant community for like-minded individuals in Sydney. They aimed to create a collaborative environment where founders could share ideas, learn from peers, and collectively navigate the challenges of building technology-driven products and services. Over the years, Fishburners has grown into a pivotal ecosystem, supporting over 45,000 entrepreneurs and facilitating more than $2 billion in capital raised by its startups.

What sets Fishburners' approach apart, including its Women's Accelerator, is its unwavering commitment to being a not-for-profit, community-driven hub. Unlike many traditional accelerators, Fishburners does not take equity from the startups participating in its core programs, ensuring founders retain full ownership of their ventures. Their model emphasises 'community density,' believing that surrounding founders with peers, mentors, and investors at similar stages fosters spontaneous collisions and opportunities. This includes regular pitch nights, educational seminars, and bespoke mentoring sessions designed to accelerate growth and mitigate common startup pitfalls.

Leadership at Fishburners has seen a succession of dedicated individuals steering its mission. Majella Campbell currently serves as CEO, having been appointed in February 2025. Her predecessors, such as Martin Karafilis and Nicole O'Brien, have also championed diversity and the growth of the Australian startup ecosystem. The Women's Accelerator, exemplified by events like the Female Founder Pitch Night, showcases emerging female-led ventures across diverse sectors, including healthcare, construction, AI ethics, and child safety. This proactive platform not only provides visibility but also aims to connect these founders directly with capital and crucial networks, actively working to bridge the funding disparities women often encounter.