presents
Australia's
MOST
UNSTOPPABLE
FOUNDER
Competition
Australia's
MOST
UNSTOPPABLE
FOUNDER
Competition
We're looking for Australia's most unstoppable founder
ABOUT THE COMPETITION
Most awards celebrate the best business plan. We’re after something different.
We’re spotting Australia’s most unstoppable founder – not the flashiest pitch deck, but the founder you’d back with your own money. The one who won’t quit when it gets hard. The one investors actually fund.
This International Women’s Day, we’re changing what gets celebrated.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
FREE ONLINE MASTERCLASS
How Unstoppable Are You?
A Masterclass on Self Advocacy by One Roof & March Collective
Thursday 26 March 2026, 12-1pm
Join Fran and Renece who will break down exactly why this competition exists, what investors actually look for in founders, and how to start owning your story without apology.
Whether you’re applying for the competition or simply want to get better at founder self-advocacy this event will show you why it matters and how to do it.
WHY THIS EXISTS
Research shows that investors make 70-80% of their funding decisions based on the founder, not the business plan. Yet when it comes to advocating for ourselves – telling the story of why WE are the right person to build our businesses – women founders consistently struggle.
We’re not less capable. We’re less practised at self-advocacy.
THE DATA IS STARK
1. Women founders are asked different types of questions in pitches (prevention-focused vs promotion-focused)
2. We use more qualifying language, even when our expertise is identical to male counterparts
3. We face a “likeability penalty” when we display the same confidence that’s rewarded in men
The result? Women-led businesses received less than 0.5% of startup capital in 2025
HOW IT WORKS
APPLICATIONS OPEN
Applications open for the Australia's Most Unstoppable Founder Competition
ONLINE LAUNCH EVENT (ONLINE)
Learn to advocate for yourself as powerfully as you run your business at our online event
APPLICATIONS CLOSE
Entries into the competition will close on Tuesday 7 April, 11:59pm (AEDT).
FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
We will announce the finalists via our emails and social channels
GRAND FINAL (VIRTUAL)
Finalists will pitch at the virtual Grand Final event.
SHOWCASE EVENT (IN-PERSON SYDNEY)
Finalists and selected applicants with be invited to gather together and share their unstoppable stories with a room of potential investors, partners, and collaborators.
ELIGIBILITY
This competition is open to women founders scaling businesses in Australia.
APPLY NOW
Applications close on Tuesday 7 April, 11:59pm (AEDT).
THE PRIZE PACK
Over $15,000+ in prizes to be won, including a $5,000 cash prize for the national winner
Grand Final Winner
- $5,000 cash prize, plus a 12 month Liftable subscription and pitch coaching, proudly supported by Lift Women
- March Collective Growth Diagnostic Session
- A 1:1 Brandiie Personal Brand Intensive + lifetime access to Brandiie, the AI-powered personal brand co-pilot
- Commercial Impact Sprint by Think Boldly, helping the winning founder translate their story and customer impact into a commercial narrative that supports growth, sales and investor conversations
- Inner Blueprint, helping founders with a Comprehensive ADVanced Innermetrix Analysis and a personalised 90-day leadership plan built around their unique wiring
- Unstoppable Advantage Audit by Sharyn Lowe, creator of the Flaunt Factor Program, a strategic review designed to uncover the hidden opportunities inside their brand and marketing, plus a 90-minute Strategic Deep Dive, and access to the Flaunt Factor online program and three months of mentoring
- One hour of expert HR consulting by KK Consulting
- 12-month One Roof membership, providing the network, resources and support to accelerate growth
Finalists
- 12-month One Roof membership, providing the network, resources and support to accelerate growth
- Ticket to Sunrise, a start up festival by Blackbird
- Lifetime access to Brandiie, the AI-powered personal brand co-pilot
- 2-month membership (24/7 access) to Stone & Chalk, with up to 2 desks, and access to all programs, events and introductions, including experts-in-residence
- Unstoppable Advantage Audit by Sharyn Lowe, creator of the Flaunt Factor Program, a strategic review designed to uncover the hidden opportunities inside their brand and marketing, plus a 90-minute Strategic Deep Dive
THE IMPACT
FOR FOUNDERS
Every woman who steps on that stage is practising the skill that determines whether she gets funded. She’s learning to own her unfair advantage, name what she’s survived, and state why she won’t quit.
That’s not just a competition pitch. That’s a career-changing capability.
FOR THE ECOSYSTEM
We’re normalising what “investable” actually looks like – and it’s not the polished, over-confident bravado that’s traditionally been rewarded. It’s authentic founder conviction backed by evidence of resilience.
When we change what gets celebrated, we change what gets funded.
FOR MEDIA & VISIBILITY
This is a story bigger than one night.
It’s about addressing a systemic gap in how women founders access capital, wrapped in an inspiring, human, media-worthy format during International Women’s Day – when the spotlight is already on women’s achievement.
APPLY NOW
Most pitch competitions judge the business. We’re judging something more fundamental: the founder.
We’re not asking “Is this a good idea?” We’re asking “Would I back this person with my own money?”
What is the Unstoppable Founder Competition?
It’s a pitch competition designed to spotlight Australia’s most unstoppable women founders — not just the business with the flashiest plan, but the founder you’d back with your own money. We’re celebrating resilience, authenticity and founder conviction — the skills that actually determine whether someone gets funded.
Who can apply?
This competition is open to Australia-based women founders growing a business, who are actively working on their venture. That includes startups and growth-stage SMEs that want to strengthen their pitching and self-advocacy skills.
What makes this competition different from other pitch events?
Traditional competitions often focus on the business plan alone. Here, we focus on the founder. You’ll learn to articulate your value and conviction, the core attributes investors look for, not just your idea.
What’s involved in the competition process?
- Founder masterclass (online) to sharpen your pitch and self-advocacy skills.
- State online semifinals where selected applicants pitch to a panel.
- National Grand Final (in person) with finalists from each state who will pitch to win the prize pack.
Where and when are the events?
The online masterclass and state semifinals will be held virtually. The National Grand Final will take place in-person in either Melbourne or Sydney (dates TBC).
What is in the prize pack?
The winner will receive a prize pack valued at $5,000+ in cash, plus a curated suite of high-impact offers designed to accelerate your growth.
We’ll be announcing our full list of partners and bonus inclusions soon.
Who is March Collective
March Collective is built for women founders who are already in motion - scaling businesses, leading teams, and ready for what's next. We exist to transform how women founders at scale access support, capital, and commercial opportunities. Through curated events, peer forums, and a powerful network of 600+ founders across Australia, we're building the infrastructure for a new founder economy - where women founders fund, hire, refer, and partner with each other. Find out more at marchcollective.co
Who is Lift Women?
Lift Women is Australia's first and Asia leading women-focused go-to funding marketplace. It exists to connect, inspire and empower millennial women and beyond to start own business and thrive. Learn more at: https://project.liftwomen.com/
What is the difference between the online grand final and the in-person showcase?
The online grand final is held virtually so that participants from across the country can take part, regardless of location.
The in-person showcase is a separate, ticketed event where the finalists and selected applicants will be invited to attend. It is an opportunity to meet potential investors and key people in the room, and to share your unstoppable story on stage.
If I'm invited to the showcase, will my flight and accomodation be paid for?
As much as we'd love to make it happen, travel and accommodation costs aren't covered, you'll need to arrange and fund these yourself.
We know it's an investment, but we hope the connections, energy, and experience of sharing your story on stage make it more than worth the trip!