The Accelerator for Enterprising Women has awarded Rosie Dumbrell, a Melbourne-based physiotherapist, the top prize of $30,000 in equity-free funding through the Kickstarter Challenge for her groundbreaking activewear line, Everform Therapywear. Designed to offer support for women experiencing incontinence, prolapse, and pelvic pain, Everform Therapywear has garnered significant recognition for addressing a gap in the market.
The Kickstarter Challenge is an initiative by the Accelerator for Enterprising Women, a government-funded program aimed at supporting and empowering Australian women over the age of 18 to pursue entrepreneurship.
Dumbrell, a mother of four, physiotherapist, and yoga instructor, developed the line of supportive shorts and leggings after noticing a lack of effective shapewear for women with pelvic floor issues at all life stages, not just during pre and postpartum periods. Her products feature an in-built, invisible support sling designed to alleviate common conditions such as pelvic pain, incontinence, and discomfort during pregnancy and the early postpartum period.
“We’ve spent years refining these products, including conducting a pilot study through Swinburne University, to ensure they meet the needs of women across all stages of life,” Dumbrell said. “Winning the Kickstarter Challenge gives us critical funding to boost our market traction and helps further our mission to support more women.”
Dumbrell added that her team is currently raising capital after years of bootstrapping to develop their technology, intellectual property, and product line. “The $30,000 will allow us to launch direct-to-consumer marketing campaigns, with the goal of doubling our monthly revenue. This funding, along with the visibility of this award, will make it easier to attract investors who see the potential of what we’re doing.”
The Kickstarter Challenge also recognised four runners-up, each receiving $7,500 to support their startups:
Ebony Kriedemann & Morgan Becker’s InPsync: A mental health matchmaking app that connects users with suitable therapists.
Catherine McDougall’s Support Plus: An online platform for carers to store vital information on the support needs and future plans for individuals living with disabilities.
Catherine Said’s Gooday Corporation: A central booking system utilising AI to schedule events, appointments, and minimise cancellations.
Kylie Wallace’s Upcycle: A website that collects and resells unwanted goods to reduce landfill waste.
Empowering Women Entrepreneurs
The Accelerator for Enterprising Women’s spokesperson, Fleur Anderson, highlighted the importance of initiatives like the Kickstarter Challenge in supporting women entrepreneurs. “Australia needs to reach a point where women feel just as confident and supported in starting their own businesses as men,” she said. “Considering that 85% of private funding for startups is directed to male-founded companies, initiatives like this are essential for empowering women to pursue their entrepreneurial goals.”
This year’s Kickstarter Challenge saw a record 300 entries, demonstrating the wealth of innovative ideas from Australian women across various sectors, including climate change, sustainability, community impact, fintech, e-commerce, health, and wellbeing.
Luke Achterstraat, CEO of the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA), which partnered with the Accelerator for Enterprising Women to deliver the program, said, “By harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit of women, we can create a more inclusive, innovative, and prosperous economy. It’s inspiring to see so many strong ideas, especially in areas that have the potential to make a real difference in society.”
The Kickstarter Challenge’s support for women like Rosie Dumbrell is part of a broader effort to close the gender funding gap and ensure that women entrepreneurs have the resources they need to succeed. As Dumbrell’s success with Everform Therapywear shows, there is tremendous potential to make a meaningful impact on women’s health and well-being through innovative, woman-led businesses.
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