Press Play: Free startup course for entrepreneurial Victorian women welcomes first cohort

A new startup training program providing Victorian women with the skills and insights they need to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams has welcomed its very first cohort.

Press Play, a free, 12-week course backed by LaunchVic and led by local startup experts, closed its inaugural application round on Wednesday.

That group of would-be founders will gain access to online training materials outlining everything from startup business models and financial strategies to go-to-market plans.

The initiative has the goal of empowering professional women with the insights they need to capitalise on their own big ideas.

“There’s a lot of talk about the funding hurdles female founders face, and we’ve decided to roll up our sleeves and be part of the solution,” it states.

Press Play arrives as a collaboration of Jumpstart Studio, NiceTo, Vox360, and Evander Strategy.

In July, LaunchVic announced Jumpstart Studio would share in $600,000 in funding designed to boost women-led startups, with Flying Fox Ventures, another recipient, launching its own female founders program.

The Press Play course, valued at $4,700, is accessible through a fully refundable $300 payment and does not require would-be founders to provide any equity in their nascent startup idea.

While the program will take a hands-off approach during the course, Press Play has also announced a $50,000 Founder Alumni Fund, designed to contribute matched funding to any successful investment secured by a PressPlay graduate.

That declaration comes after a torrent of contemporary research showing Australian women are far less likely to receive startup investment than their male counterparts.

To combat the bias towards male-founded startups, 13 venture capital firms recently pledged to reveal the gender make-up of the teams they invest in, to promote transparency and equity in the sector.

Press Play will run for 12 weeks, kicking off in February 2024.

While the application cut-off means some aspiring entrepreneurs may have missed out, Press Play itself has opened the possibility of further courses – including those catering to interstate professionals.

“We have noticed a surge in interest from participants residing outside of Victoria,” its website states.

“We encourage you to continue submitting your applications through our designated form.

“If we see a substantial number of applicants from other states, we are considering launching a separate cohort specifically for women located outside of Victoria. Stay tuned!”