Thank you for celebrating with us as our 3rd Incubator Cohort launched their ideas into the world!
Over the last 6 months, we’ve had 10 entrepreneurs join us as they build, scale, and grow from seed to MVP (Minimum Viable Product).
Working closely with our team they have developed their businesses and confidence, built their capacity, analysed different technologies, attended expert masterclasses, and built connections with Startup Shakeup & Runway networks.
Incubator Startup Overview
| Simple Snack By Lou Hopwood Introducing Louise Hopwood, Lou comes from Mansfield in North East Victoria where she owns and operates two successful businesses, is a mother to two children and wife. If running a business or two throughout a pandemic taught her anything its this – ‘Whatever you are most scared of, is often the thing that makes you most successful’ Lou has an amazing drive and passion for success, whether it be fitness or hospitality she has it covered. Her new business Simple Snacks aims to assist families by offering a range of healthy, nutritious, and homemade lunchbox snacks to assist busy families. This in turn will promote accelerated physical and mental development. https://simplesnacks.com.au/ |
| Kiss The Cook By Varsha Reddy Varsha is not only the founder but also the passionate chef behind ‘KISS THE COOK’ where she stays true to the colours and flavours of traditional Indian regions. With the support of her two children and multiple bachelor’s degrees Varsha started her culinary journey from home 2 years ago. Her next step is opening a store in Albury where she’ll be able to supply her food to the region and provide a space for people to eat in and enjoy. https://www.instagram.com/kissthecook_indianchik/ https://www.instagram.com/kissthecookalbury/ |
| FABB By Sophie Rhys Born in Hong Kong and sent to boarding school in the UK, Sophie scandalised her family by falling for the Aussie student teacher and hotfooting it to Sydney as soon as school was finished. Thirty years and two kids later, having lived in Melbourne, Hanoi and Costa Rica, Sophie and her Aussie family now live in their very own home among the gum trees in the Kiewa Valley. With a career focused on social justice, diversity and inclusion, Sophie is employed as Coordinator of the Hume Social Enterprise Network whilst she works with her daughter to start up their business. Her business FABB was born from a need for practical, yet aesthetic equipment for her daughter who lives with an immune disorder. She saw that the market only offered very medical looking equipment, and has been working with suppliers and her daughter to develop a range of equipment that brings joy to the user. |
| Alpaca Indulgence By Graeme Drew Graeme has been ‘pushing at the edges’ all his life, from playing in a rock band in high school to building a software consulting business out of a teaching career. Now he has a passion for primary production using opportunities provided by his farm near Mt. Buffalo. Graeme farms both chestnuts and alpacas. Graeme is developing several business lines to lever value from his farming outputs. One of these lines being premium alpaca wool products, including dog beds and doonas. http://www.buffalorivertrading.com.au/ |
| Why Wonder By Rachel Dal Zotto Life has taken Rachel to many different places and directions, from being a Police Officer, a Chaplain in primary schools, a Counsellor for kids, a wife to her lovely husband Julian for nearly 20 years and a mum to two wonderful kids, Jed and Scout. From the choices she has made over her life, Rachel has creatively developed a program for pre and primary aged kids called, Why Wonder? Rachel has poured her years of experience and passion into these programs mainly because of her zeal to see all kids empowered with knowledge. Rachel’s business ‘Why Wonder?’ was designed to empower and protect pre and primary aged kids with body safety education while learning about healthy sexual development. Learn more at… www.whywonder.com.au |
| Meadow and Marsh By Lyndal Symons Let us introduce you to Meadow and Marsh. Founded by Physio turned flower-farmer Lyndal Symons, this blossoming business is ready to bloom! Lyndal started her family run business ‘Meadow and Marsh’ in Tabletop, NSW. Here they grow and gather seasonal flowers and native grasses to supply florists, events, retailers, and flower lovers. These are no ordinary packets of flower seeds! With custom artwork, playful seed sowing and seed saving instructions and a matching gift card range, these seeds make a memorable gift experience for wedding guests, corporate clients and perfect for boutique retail stores. Have a peek here… www.meadowandmarsh.com.au |
| Regli’s Market Garden By Daniel Regli Meet Dan, a self-taught market gardener. He worked on vegetable farms as a teen, eating as he picked, so you could say he knows the taste of fresh. While Dan has always grown vegetables in his garden it was YouTube that opened his eyes to no-till market gardening maybe 5 yrs. ago. Dans wife Mel, a Jeweller with a studio in Chiltern, learnt from her Nan how to cook and preserve. They both have a passion to help others and think everyone should experience home grown and cooked food like they do every day. ‘Regli’s Market Garden’ offers fortnightly vegetables for pick up, along with simple tasty recipes and ways to reduce waste! Shop for delicious ingredients straight from the farm… www.reglismarketgarden.com.au |
| Kids Get Money By Annette Rose Annette Rose is the founder of Kids Get Money. She has had an impressive career spanning the UK and Australia where she has been a founder and executive committee member of several start-up’s and innovative product launches in tech and finance. More recently her career has seen her in the role of Chief Information Officer for a large luxury real estate brand and key roles in the National Broadband Network (nbnco) in Business Customer Experience and Strategy. After 20 years leading complex programs and launches for other companies, Annette is leading her own Startup – Kids Get Money – with a purpose to reduce the number of people living in poverty. Annette’s startup ‘Kids Get Money’ aims to teach kids about growing and managing money. Annette believes in providing future generations with the education, skills, and tools to be financially independent. Find out more… www.kidsgetmoney.au |
| Black Wattle Dairy By Renee Holmes Renee is a technology and systems specialist and Farmer, and Uni student, studying Agricultural science. Her study centres on agronomy, animal nutrition and genetics. These skills are driving her forward with her dairy goat breeding program and scaling to produce a post farm gate goat milk dairy ice-cream. |
The Incubator has been made possible by LaunchVIC funding, and partnership between Runway, Startup Shakeup and GHD Digital.