Lift Women is the brainchild of Enterprise Leader, former Head of Partnerships for Global Banks and Single Mum of Two, Irene Tsang. Aims to level the financial playing field between male and female entrepreneurship.

Irene says: “What is good for gender equality and women empowerment is good for the economy and society as well. Currently, the gender balance is way off-kilter. Women-led startups only receive 2.3 percent of venture capital funding, while female entrepreneurs ask for approximately $33,000 less in business financing than men. Furthermore, recent research conducted by the Kauffman Foundation found that 68 percent of investors prefer to finance a company when the concept was pitched by a male voice, while only 32 percent chose a female voice.

The report also highlighted how investors tend to unconsciously ask different questions according to gender. They usually ask men how they will “win” and ask women how they will “not lose” when assessing the success of an idea. Women are severely underrepresented in the entrepreneurial world. Only 22 percent of startup founders in Australia are women. In 2020 alone, over six million crowdfunding projects created globally, but less than 30 percent were women’s projects. With Lift Women, I aim to change this.”

The key pillars of Lift Women are:

L – Listen to learn
We promote active listening, constructive review and ensure every voice is heard and reflected. Women can reach out and receive a free consultation before joining the platform.

I – Inspire to Innovate
We nurture, protect and empower women. We encourage and facilitate connection between women on our platform and we shine a light for every woman to achieve her best.

F – Fund with Ease
Funding is one of the biggest challenges women face when bringing their dreams to life. We provide an alternative funding option that is simple, accessible and affordable for all women.

T – Trust in Your Vision
Lift women is a safe place for women to connect, inspire and empower each other. Together we celebrate success and provide visibility for your business and your future.

Why Female-Specific Crowdfunding?
New analysis by Boston Consulting Group shows that if women and men participated equally as entrepreneurs, global GDP would rise by three percent to six percent, boosting the global economy by up to $5 trillion. Another study conducted by McKinsey Global Institute indicated that taking action now to advance gender equality could add $13 trillion to the global GDP by 2030.

“Economic benefits aside, by unlocking the potential of women, we are improving not only their financial wellbeing but also their mental health and their children’s education. We need to invest in female entrepreneurs, not only to help one generation but to help and offer role models for the next.” Says Irene

The Pandemic has hit women the hardest. Now more than ever, we need to call for unity, financial inclusion, and support for women. Lift Women wants to spearhead this change and become a safe go-to place for women and girls to connect, back each other up, and cheer each other on.

How Exactly Does Lift Women Work?
Lift Women is a platform that enables you to source the funding you need to begin your business. It also provides you with the market validation and visibility to grow both your customer base and trust in your brand. Each person who supports your business on Lift Women becomes a long-term, supportive customer.

Lift Women is about supporting women and being part of their journey. It’s also a platform for people who want to support local businesses and give back. You can empower new business ideas of entrepreneurial women doing exceptional things, help women launch their dreams, and be part of their vision and journey.

Why Do You Need Crowdfunding?
One in two women believe starting their own business is inspiring, empowering, and life-changing. Many women dream of being their own boss and taking control of their finances, but in reality, when it comes to starting a business, women often face a lot of challenges. One of the most common is the lack of access to funding and society’s perspective and judgment on women when they ask for it.

“I want to make funding accessible and affordable for all women and girls. Lift Women is a platform dedicated to female-led businesses to showcase their products, tell their stories, and raise the funds they need to bring their dreams to life. I believe that together we can create a trend of empowering and uplifting women to do what they really love and be the best that they can be. Lift Women will show female founders how they can get to the male investors and prove to them how worthy their projects are.”

Female Founder Grant Challenge 2021 To bridge the gap, Lift Women has collaborated with national and global organizations who share the same vision, to grant funding to two winning female-led projects on the platform, with the inaugural Female Founder Grant Challenge. Winners will receive a Jump Starter Kit, with a value of over A$15,000 each, which contains all they need to start and scale their business nationally and globally.

The aim is to simply get women to give it a go! All you need to do is simply focus on your own crowdfunding project on the platform prior to the deadline of September 5, 2021. Irene and her judges will select six finalists, who will be invited to a Grant Pitch night, where they will pitch their ideas and partake in a Q&A with the judging panel. The winners will be announced on the night and all six finalists will be featured on the platform.

Start your project today | or Back a project today

Lift Women
Collins Street Tower
Level 3, 480 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
enquiry@liftwomen.com |