The TRW Investment Ready Program is for female founders with an innovation driven enterprise looking to access capital. 

Ideally businesses will have:

• A scalable solution, that solves a problem for one or multiple customer groups;
• First customers and/or revenue; and
• A company structure, or in the process of undertaking company registration.

This industry-agnostic program covers various stages of startup growth and embraces founder diversity.

We welcome female founders from underserved communities including women who are diverse, based in regional communities, CALD, Women of Colour, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and/or returning to work.

We recognise and acknowledge the intersection of race and gender identities. Our program is offered to marginalised genders including women, women-identifying individuals, and non-binary and gender non-conforming people who are comfortable in a community space that centres on the education, mentoring and business support of women in the startup ecosystem.

Please note: Program scholarship positions are for QLD residents only at this stage. 

The TRW Investment Ready Program is ideal for startups in the startup stage (product-market-fit), growth stage (growing revenue) or expansion stage (massive scaling). 

For startups in the initial stages of the journey, we recommend applying or expressing your interest for the TRW Female Founder Startup Program.

You can apply online with two simple steps. First register through our website. You will then be sent an email with the application form.

Application close dates are advised on the website and included in the application email.

Applications for our 2024 October intake are closing at AEST 5 PM on Monday, 23 September 2024.

Once we have received your initial application you will be notified if you have been shortlisted. The top 20 applicants will be selected for the program and will be notified via email and/or phone.

Application outcomes will be notified during the first and second week of October 2024.

This program is proudly supported by the Advance Queensland initiative, therefore, scholarships are offered to QLD-based founders only for the 2024 October cohort.

Regrettably, this means that if you're not based in QLD, we will not be able to offer you a spot in this program. However, we will have news for you very soon!! Express your Interest here to be the first to know when we open applications for our National program.

If you have any questions, please contact one of our team members at [email protected].

We will spend time reviewing each application before deciding on the final participants to ensure those selected will benefit the most out of the program. 

Places are limited so if your application is not successful for this round we will encourage you to reapply for the next intake. We want to see you succeed so will also refer you to other programs and communities that can support your stage of business.

Criteria for judging are based on the following:

• You self-identify as a woman or you are a non-binary and gender non-conforming individual who is comfortable in a community space that centres on the education, mentoring and business support of women in the startup ecosystem
• You have founded and lead an innovation driven enterprise, based in Queensland 
• Your business is at the startup, growth or expansion stage
• You are looking to access capital funding to grow or scale your business

 The judging panel considers the criteria outlined before along with the additional information provided by the applicant via the application form to determine whether the application is successful. This assessment is performed case by case.

This program is for permanent residents and Australian citizens. If you're a visa holder, we won't be able to offer you a spot in this program.

Yes, we will not disclose your application details to any unauthorised parties or sources. We ensure confidentiality of the information with the data that you provide to us via the application form.

If you are concerned about your startup idea IP, you don't need to share with us anything you wouldn't share in a public forum.

Thanks to the support of the Advance Queensland initiative, 87% of the program participation fee has been subsidised. There are 20 scholarships available for the cohort.

If your application is successful you will be offered a part scholarship of $723+GST ($5,723+GST).

No, payment plans are not available for this program. If you are applying for this program, it means that your startup business is generating revenue and has the funds to cover the fee of the program.

If a company purchases the course, that company can claim the GST. The course is tax-deductible, however please seek advice from your accountant.

The 2024 October TRW Investment Ready Program starts on Monday, 28 October 2024 and runs for 5 months until Monday, 28 April 2025.

If the start or end date is moved, we will update communications and let you know as soon as possible.

Yes, there will be a 4-week break during the End-of-Year holidays, from 16 December 2025 to 12 January 2025

• Hybrid Orientation Night: Begin the program with an in-person event at The Precinct, connecting with fellow founders and the TRW team. This event will also be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person.
• Online Modules & Activities: Engage in immersive learning and practical activities designed to prepare your startup to access and leverage a range of capital opportunities.
• Mentoring & Advisory Sessions: Receive feedback on your strategy, deck and documents in small group and one-on-one sessions.
• Investor Introductions: Access warm introductions to investors who are committed to supporting women-led startups.
• Due Diligence Support: Learn how to build your data room, with access to templates and examples, to present the key information investors want to see.

Yes, the majority of the program will be held online to make it accessible for those with other responsibilities or based in regional areas.

The only in-person meet-up will be for Orientation Night which is a session that marks the start of the program. This event will be held at The Precinct. 

The first six weeks will require more time than most due to the online modules and advisory sessions. We recommend you set aside at least 5 hours per week.

After the first six weeks, your time commitment will be based on the capital raising strategy you have adopted. In any case, we have one-hour weekly check-ins.

Advisory sessions are held in small groups and one-on-one.

The small-group sessions are for 4 founders for a total of 60 minutes with one of your mentors/experts. These sessions are a great opportunity for founders to ask questions about the weekly content and address any immediate barriers, as well as connect with other founders in small settings.

You will also have access to one-on-one advisory sessions which will be held to address financial projections, valuations and areas that are confidential in nature. 

All of our mentors are either current investors and/or have raised startup capital. They understand the barriers women face and have direct experience in the capital raising process.