Amy Connelly

Founder @ Marco Polo Portal

🔗 Website 
🔗 LinkedIn 

Industry: Disability Tech
State: Queensland, Australia
Stage: Growth (Growing Revenue/Customers)

🎓 Programs Participated In

TRW Investment Ready Program

🚀 Elevator Pitch

Most people get to choose who they live with, but for many Australians living with a disability, that choice is taken away.

Marco Polo Portal is giving that choice back. The platform empowers people with disabilities to decide who they live with and who supports them, restoring dignity, independence, and control.

So far, Marco Polo Portal has already helped over 200 participants take back this vital choice, and they’re only getting started.

💡 Back Story

Before Marco Polo Portal became a tech platform, Amy and her co-founder worked directly with NDIS participants, helping them find the right in-home support.

It was during this time that they identified a huge injustice: when it came to choosing housemates and care providers, the people most affected – those living with disabilities – weren’t the decision-makers.

Determined to change that, they built Marco Polo Portal, scaling their mission through technology and creating a platform that empowers people living with disabilities to make choices about their homes and support networks.

🌱 Before and After TRW

Before joining the TRW Investment Ready Program, Amy had already been through an accelerator, but found it overwhelming and disconnected from the realities of growing a purpose-driven startup.

TRW was the opposite.

“The TRW program was guided, actionable, and supportive. Each week came with real steps to take, templates that made sense, and a community that genuinely wanted you to succeed.”

Through the program, Amy refined her investor narrative, improved her data room, and gained confidence in communicating Marco Polo Portal’s mission and value to investors and stakeholders.

🏆 Wins

Since completing the TRW Investment Ready Program, Amy and the Marco Polo team have achieved impressive milestones:

• 💰 Secured $100K in new funding and accepted into a disability-focused accelerator

• 🧩 Strengthened their data room with investor-ready updates

• 💬 Built confidence in communicating their vision and impact

• ⚙️ Currently developing a major new feature for NDIS providers to improve service quality and outcomes

🌟 What’s Next for the Business

Marco Polo Portal’s next chapter is all about scale and impact.

The team is working on a new feature for NDIS providers that will revolutionise how care is delivered and managed, improving both participant experiences and provider operations.

Their ultimate goal? To secure a Navigator Contract with the NDIA (Home & Living stream) — enabling their platform to create large-scale, systemic change across Australia.

❓ What would you say to another woman considering joining a TRW Program?

“In the wise words of Shia LaBeouf, do it! If you have a great idea and need support, TRW gives you everything in one place, from templates and mentoring to a community that genuinely wants you to win.”

✨ Final Word

“TRW gave me clarity, confidence, and practical tools to communicate our mission powerfully. It’s a program built by women, for women, and it truly works.”

💛 How the TRW Community Can Help

Marco Polo Portal is looking for:

• 🤝 Connections to industry leaders, advocates, and NDIS/NDIA representatives

• 📣 Support in spreading the word to families and individuals living with disabilities

• 💡 Collaborations with organisations in the disability, health, and advocacy space

📧 Contact Amy: [email protected] 
📞 Phone: 07 5616 4904

Updated on 9 July 2025