$15K Female Founder Grant

We're looking to award $15,000 of services to a female founder with a high-growth idea and the ability to execute.

Apply now

BUILDING THE NEXT HIGH-GROWTH TECH COMPANY?

After supporting 100+ founders over five years, we realised more were named “Dave” than women.

Nothing wrong with the Daves, they’ve been great.

We'd just like the next 100 to look a little different.

$15K FEMALE FOUNDER GRANT

One grant won't rebalance an industry. But it can only help.

Apply now

For the last six years we've helped technology companies build, launch, and scale their ventures. It's good work, and we're proud of it. But most of that support went to founders who were already well placed to get it, and over time the pattern in the room started to become impossible to ignore.

The numbers say the same thing out loud. In New Zealand, female-led startups received just 2.9% of venture capital invested in 2024. That isn't a gap in ambition or talent. It's a gap in who gets backed early, and who quietly gets left to work it out alone.

So in 2025 we decided to back someone, and this year we’re doing it again. Edition's $15,000 Female Founder Grant goes to one woman aspiring to build a high-growth venture from New Zealand or Australia, giving her access the support that often can only be accessed after a funding round.

What we’re looking for

High-growth idea

Something with real scale potential, not just a nice product. We're looking for a venture that could become Aotearoa’s next success story.

Epic female founder

Relevant experience and insight that puts you in a strong position to build this specific company. We back people as much as ideas.

Clear opportunity

We want to give the $15k grant to the woman who stands to gain the most from it. Tell us what this support would unlock that you can't get on your own.

Application Process

We've kept this simple. A short application, a conversation with our shortlist, then we back one founder.

Apply now

1. Apply for the grant

Your application is one open text field, so there's no form to fill in or boxes to tick. Just tell us about yourself, your background and the venture you want to build, in your own words.

The applications that stay with us are the ones that are clear about the opportunity.

Who are you building for?
What do you replace or improve on?
Why does this matter, and what makes your venture different?

You don't need a polished pitch. We're far more interested in honest, sharp thinking about the problem you're solving and why you're the right person to solve it.

We love AI, but please write this one yourself. We read every application personally, and the ones that resonate are always the ones where we can hear a real person behind the idea!

Applications close on 10 July 2026.

2. Interviews with finalists

Applications will be shortlisted three to five finalists. If you're one of them, we'll invite you for a 45-minute interview either at our studio, or over video if you're based outside of Auckland.

It's a chance for us to dig deeper, ask questions and understand the opportunity we'd be supporting. It's also an opportunity for you to ask us questions.

3. Grant recipient chosen

We choose the founder who stands to gain the most from the support, and notify the recipient before the end of July 2026.

From there, we'll work out together exactly how to best support you between now and your next milestone, whether that's onboarding your first customer, getting ready for a pre-seed raise, or something specific to where your venture is at.

Apply for the grant

Submit an application to enter our $15k Female Founder Grant.

Applications close 30th June.

Submit an application to enter our
$15k Female Founder Grant.

Applications close 10th July.

Thank you for applying!

We look forward to reading your application.

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

FAQs

Have a question?
Chances are we’ve answered it.

Who can apply for the grant?

Any woman wanting to build a high-growth technology venture, based in New Zealand or Australia can apply. You can apply with an idea you're passionate about or an venture that is already underway, but hasn’t yet raised a formal pre-seed venture capital round. What matters most is that you identify as a woman, you're the founder driving it, and you have the experience or insight that makes you the right person to build this.

When do applications close?

Applications close on 10 July 2026.

We'll announce the recipient before the end of July after we have had a chance to review applications, interview finalists, and make a decision.

Do I need to be based in New Zealand?

Applicants need to reside in New Zealand or Australia.

Can I apply if I have a male co-founder?

Yes. Having a male co-founder doesn't rule you out. The grant exists to back women building technology companies, whether you’re building it with a male or not is completely fine.

What happens after I submit my application?

We read every application ourselves. From there we shortlist three to five finalists and invite each for a 45-minute conversation. It's a chance for us to understand your venture properly and better understand how we might help. We then choose one recipient to win the $15k Female Founder Grant and inform them before the end of July. Note, given the nature of early-stage startups we are unlikely to publicly announce the winner until it is appropriate tot do so.

How will the recipient be selected?

We choose the founder who stands to gain the most from the support. We're looking at the strength of the idea, how clearly you understand who you're building for and why it matters, and whether this is the right moment for our help to make a real difference. It's a considered decision made by our team, not a public vote or a scoring formula, so a clear, honest application matters more than a polished one.

About Edition

Edition is a design-led technology studio for ambitious startups.

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Building a successful tech company from this side of the world is no easy task. Founders face constant pressure to move fast, show momentum and deliver value to investors, all while managing capital, product and growth. Design and technology play a critical role in that journey. But finding the right support is surprisingly difficult. Big agencies are out of reach. Boutique studios lack relevant experience. Freelancers are risky.

Edition was created to bridge that gap, shaped by firsthand experience in the local startup scene. Our team of strategists, designers, software engineers and technologists understands the realities of the journey. We bring sharp thinking and beautiful execution to help founders and their teams launch, scale and succeed.