Applications are now open for the second round of South Australia’s Fearless Innovator Grant Program, a scheme designed to back women-led businesses with real cash support at the right moment. Developed to address the deep funding gap that continues to limit access to capital for women in business, the program is taking another confident step forward by offering $120,000 in total grants this year.
The Malinauskas Government is partnering with Women in Innovation (WINN) and the Fearless Females Network (FFN) to deliver this targeted boost. Whether the business is in its early days or already breaking ground in sales, the program offers two tracks for entrepreneurs to tap into. One $60,000 Scale-Up Grant is available to help an established business take its offering beyond state borders and into national and global markets. Two $20,000 Accelerate Grants are earmarked for early-stage ventures ready to make a mark and fast-track their growth. A further $20,000 grant, made possible with Westpac’s support, will be awarded on merit by a judging panel, rounding out the offering to a total of $120,000.
The State Government is putting in matched funding of up to $50,000 to complement private and donor contributions, reinforcing its focus on growing the state’s start-up base through strategic injections of capital.
This initiative isn’t pulled out of thin air. The 2024 State of Australian Startup Funding report laid it out starkly: just two per cent of total venture capital in Australia went to businesses led by women. The response from South Australia is clear—level the field, back talent early, and watch new businesses grow from promising beginnings to wider commercial success.
The Fearless Innovator Grant Program was launched in 2024, and the results are already noticeable. Six women secured grants in its first round, and their outcomes are seen as proof that the model works. One such recipient is Deborah Faehrmann, founder and director of Healthy Heads, who describes the impact of her grant as transformative. The support brought new products, global collaborations, genuine investor interest, and wider brand recognition. More than money, she says, it built her confidence.
The initiative falls under the broader support structure offered through the government’s Research and Innovation Fund. That fund aims to grow a robust and forward-looking innovation ecosystem that can feed into the state’s economy and social wellbeing for years to come. The Fearless Innovator program sits alongside other government-led schemes like the $4 million Women in Business program, which has already reached more than 3,600 South Australian women with training, mentoring and support services. Both initiatives contribute to the government’s broader $14 million SA Small Business Strategy, aimed at shoring up a resilient and diverse business base for the state.
Applications for round two are open until Sunday, 8 June 2025, closing at 11:59pm ACST. The final announcements will be made at an awards event in September, where this year’s winning applicants will be celebrated.
The program continues to draw strong political support. South Australia’s Deputy Premier and Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Susan Close, sees the initiative as a key investment in the future economy. She says removing obstacles to participation for women in start-ups will help the state access bigger national and global markets. By working with WINN and the Fearless Females Network, the state is aiming to push open the doors for more women-led businesses to scale, pitch and trade in places where they have been underrepresented for too long.
Minister for Small and Family Business Andrea Michaels also reinforced the message that early-stage capital remains a key hurdle for many women in business. She notes that last year’s grant recipients were quick to use the funds to scale their operations, expand their teams and reach new customers—results that show what happens when the right support hits at the right time.
This year’s round of funding hopes to replicate and extend that success. With the backing of donors, the state and a major bank, the program offers not just cash but confidence—giving women-led businesses a leg up when it matters most. It’s a form of investment that goes beyond the transaction, and one that speaks directly to building a more inclusive business environment where talent isn’t left waiting for permission.
The program is expected to attract strong interest again this year. With only a handful of grants available, the selection process is competitive. But the message remains consistent: South Australia is actively seeking out its female entrepreneurs, not as a side note or an afterthought, but as a necessary part of its economic story. And with a track record already forming from round one, round two looks set to be another sharp turn away from business-as-usual.
Behind the application process, WINN and the Fearless Females Network bring their own support structures, offering more than just paperwork and prize money. The combined focus on visibility, community and connection aims to position recipients for long-term progress. There is a strong understanding that early wins matter, and that one business growing well can inspire others to try, apply, and build.
South Australia’s women in business are not waiting for a perfect set of conditions. With the right nudge, some funding, and a structure that listens, many are already stepping into markets and spaces that were once hard to access. The Fearless Innovator Grant Program doesn’t claim to fix every barrier, but it does move one major one out of the way—and sometimes, that’s enough to shift the rest.
To apply or learn more, visit business.sa.gov.au before the deadline on 8 June. And if last year’s results are any indication, the businesses that come through this round could be the names to watch in 2026 and beyond.
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💼 SA's Fearless Innovator Grants offer $120K to women-led businesses. 🚀 Two $20K Accelerate & one $60K Scale-Up grant available. ⏳ Apply by 8 June 2025. 💡 Aims to close funding gap for female entrepreneurs. #TheIndianSun @WinnovationSA
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