For builders with bold ambition, the truth behind the hype, hustle and heartache.
From the frontlines of innovation, we spotlight game-changing funders + founders to bring you the world’s best tools, tactics and startup smarts.
Firstly, right up front, a few unfun facts.
In 2024, just 2% of capital raised in Australia went to women-founded teams. In 2024, just 2% of capital raised in Australia went to women-founded teams. In 2024, just 2% of capital raised in Australia went to women-founded teams.
In 2024, just 2% of capital raised in Australia went to women-founded teams. In 2024, just 2% of capital raised in Australia went to women-founded teams. In 2024, just 2% of capital raised in Australia went to women-founded teams.
Less than 10% of VCs are women.
Less than 10% of VCs are women.
Fact: Diverse founding teams deliver 35% more ROI
Fact: Diverse founding teams deliver 35% more ROI
Hard-won advice from founders + funders.
Educate funders.
Elevate founders.
Celebrate starters.
Accelerate startups.
Increase diversity.
Decrease biases.
Build up capability.
Break down barriers.
Boost best practice.
Spotlight success.
Startups start when you do.
“Startups are the greatest form of self-expression. They are art in code, pixels and people.” – Naval Ravikant
Meet Mads Hanger (Grummet)
Mads is a force for social change, startups and storytelling. Passionate about entrepreneurship, equity of funding access and backing outstanding founders building world-class companies, Mads is active across the Australian startup ecosystem as a journalist, mentor and early stage investor with Flying Fox Ventures, Startmate, Blackbird VC and Aussie Angels.
Mads is also an award-winning edtech entrepreneur, so knows how to grind, having founded and led growth and GTM in both Girledworld and Future Amp.
But Mads also spends a bunch of time covering tech, startups and innovation telling stories and deep diving issues as a writer and presenter, ABC journalist, contributor to Crikey and Women’s Agenda, MC and moderator, keynote speaker, author and cohost of the top-rating Human Cogs podcast.
A lifelong learner committed to kaizen, Mads has a Monash University Master of Journalism, University Of Melbourne Faculty of Business and Economics Master of Entrepreneurship, is an innovation specialist with qualifications in Lean Startup and Design Thinking with IDEO and Stanford University’s d.school and she completed Launch Vic’s VC Catalyst Certification on Scholarship in 2019.
Mads received the 2023 Monash Award for the Highest Achievement in the Master of Journalism, the 2020 University of Melbourne Faculty of Business and Economics Leadership Award and 2019 Victorian Tech Diversity Award. Learn more.
She’s also the Mum of four awesome daughters (her most ambitious + fast-growing ventures to date :)
