Ladymates Leadership

ANZ's first highly vetted, mentor-driven community for women in leadership.

Ladymates Leadership unleashes the next generation of women leaders in the ANZ startup ecosystem, accelerating professional development through exec coaching, peer-to-peer mentorship, exclusive workshops and a powerful women-led community.  

This membership is designed to help women navigate challenges, assert influence, nail difficult conversations and find an authentic and effective leadership style. 

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Membership Dates: Ongoing, with quarterly intakes

Program Dates:
Ongoing, with quarterly intakes

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Membership cost: Starting from $825 quarterly (INCL. GST)

Program cost:
Starting from $825 quarterly (INCL. GST)

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Time commitment: 2-4 hours a month

Program cost:
Starting from $825 quarterly (INCL. GST)

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Applications for Intake Close: 3 December 2024

Program cost:
Starting from $825 quarterly (INCL. GST)

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Register for Startmate International Women’s Day

Register interest

Meet some of the incredible women in our community

9.3/10 program rating
from alumni reviews.

Beth Fitzpatrick

Head of Operations @ Emmi

Beth Fitzpatrick

Head of Operations @ Emmi

"The best thing about Ladymates Leadership is the instant connection to a support network of women, all navigating similar aspects of work and career. It's the brains trust we've all been missing! And such an uplifting part of my week."

Cathleen Santoso

Head of Growth & Operations @ Athletic Ventures

Cathleen Santoso

Head of Growth & Operations @ Athletic Ventures

"Joining Ladymates Leadership gives me the chance to connect with like-minded women, share our struggles, and learn how to handle new situations. I'm using this collective wisdom to help me do better in my role and support my community, while also becoming part of a new community of like-minded women."

Hannah Iwanov

General Manager, People @ Akaysha Energy

Hannah Iwanov

General Manager, People @ Akaysha Energy

"Ladymates has reminded and reinforced for me the value in creating time to pause and actively think and reflect before choosing a course of action. This is a lesson I'm working to integrate more and more into my everyday decision making."

Kate Sherburn

Head of Legal @ Who Gives A Crap

Kate Sherburn

Head of Legal @ Who Gives A Crap

"The best thing has truly been meeting the amazing cohort of women. In terms of the content we've covered, it would be hard to pick just one thing - but I think the top two would probably be learning about my saboteurs and the workshop on difficult conversations. I've printed out the problems vs possibilities image and have it next to my computer as a reminder!"

Kirstin McIntosh

Co-founder @ Something Real Ventures

Kirstin McIntosh

Co-founder @ Something Real Ventures

"Love this whole concept. It really was an opportunity to be part of something very special at the outset. The learnings, personal growth and the friendships have been worth every second. I was seeking a community when I applied, but I ended up with so much more."

Nicole Tang

Chief of Staff @ Finder

Nicole Tang

Chief of Staff @ Finder

"Loved the more casual convo style of our peer advisory groups - made it feel more like a group of friends sharing advice / tips with each other."

Ruby Jones

Chief Operating Officer @ Aquila

Ruby Jones

Chief Operating Officer @ Aquila

"Coaching is awesome. You absolutely get the most out of it by paying close attention to your peers because you learn while they talk."

Zoe Champtaloup

Director of Operations & General Counsel @ Perx Health

Zoe Champtaloup

Director of Operations & General Counsel @ Perx Health

"I've been coming away from every session with tangible, practical advice to tackle my biggest challenges from people who've actually been through it before or are currently navigating the same thing. Plus, it's been really special to meet such an awesome group of women."

What is
‍Ladymates Leadership?

This highly selective, 12 month membership includes:

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  1. Executive coaching: recurring sessions with a highly regarded exec coach
  2. Peer advisory board: work through challenges you’re facing in your role, get feedback on decision-making, and soundboard ideas with peers in similar positions 
  3. In-person ‘level-ups’: IRL sessions tailored to the cohort and their unique needs (i.e. commanding a room with confidence, having tough conversations, influencing through storytelling etc)
  4. Optional socials and catch-ups: connect 1-1 or with small groups around a shared interest, location, etc.

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We appreciate women in leadership are some of the busiest people out there, so this initiative is high impact, low time commitment (~2-4h per month). 

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‍To truly support our Ladymate Leaders, we want to continue iterating this initiative to best suit the women in our community. Book in a quick chat here to share your feedback and help us build this with you, and for you.

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Apply now

Meet some of our
Ladymates Leadership speakers

Are you a wildly ambitious founder and pre Series A fundraise?
‍The Accelerator is for you.

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We're industry agnostic.

‍We've invested in companies spanning an insanely diverse range of industries. From ed-tech, health-tech, prop-tech and climate-tech to space-tech, fin-tech and legal-tech.

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You're never too early.

‍67% of Accelerator companies had no revenue when they appliedand every cohort has had at least one company that is idea-stage and pre-MVP.

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We strive for equal representation.

‍Diversity builds smarter solutions. Since 2021, 40% of our companies have 1 or more women co-founders.

Who is Ladymates Leadership for?

🚀 A leader in a startup or tech company

We appreciate that ‘leadership’ has varying definitions. This might look like: ‘Head of’ or ‘Chief of’ 'Founder' 'Senior Manager' etc.

If you are not quite at the ‘leadership’ level yet, we’d encourage you to check out Ladymates Collective - this is for women in startups at any level!

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🙌 Women looking to navigate challenges and grow as a leader

We’re looking for ambitious women who aren’t content with the status quo. We want to support those who are ready to tackle the day-to-day challenges of leadership and chart their trajectory as a leader. 

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👯 Women who want to build meaningful relationships with other women leaders

We believe you’re the average of the people you surround yourselves with, so why not surround yourself with other brilliant women in leadership? Ladymates Leadership is for those who want to make lifelong friends and allies to support them every step of their career.

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Doesn't sound like you? Check out our other offerings:

💙 Working in tech but not yet in a leadership role? Check out Ladymates Collective.

đŸ’â€â™€ïž Not yet in startups, but looking to crack into the ecosystem and land your dream job? See our long-running Women Fellowship.

Check out our
‍track record

  • 50% of companies raise post-accelerator
  • Startups raise an average of $1.8mil. off the back of the accelerator

Which membership is right for you

Join a community that will help you go from idea to IPO

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Hiring

We have over 3000+ of ANZ’s most talented operators in our community. Our incredible Startmate fellows are hungry to join a high-growth startup and ready to support you on your journey.

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Investors

We have built an army of over 250 early stage investors who are inspired by your commitment to changing the world. They are here, ready to be your First Believers, and invest.

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Funding

We invest in you from day one and continue to believe in you forever after. This is a unique fund in ANZ that automatically invests all Startmate pro-rata for our alumni, which means you can go into your fundraising conversations already knowing you have the Startmate pro-rata committed

Apply for the upcoming
Ladymates Leadership

Join ANZ's first highly vetted, mentor-driven community for up-and-coming women in leadership
What you’ll get out of the Accelerator 
  1. Investment: We invest AUD 120k in each company so that all your energy is focused on building your startup.
  2. Founder friends: You’ll be surrounded by a cohort of equally ambitious founders on the same journey.
  3. Pitch perfect: We’ll tear your pitch deck to shreds and by the end of the Accelerator you’ll have a bulletproof deck ready for investors.
  4. Launch your startup to the world: Pitch your startup to an audience of thousands at Demo Day.
  5. A product people want: You’ll spend 12 weeks laser-focused on your customer, how you can improve your product and the results to drive meaningful growth
  6. Mentorship: You’ll be partnered with ANZ’s most successful founders, operators and investors who have skin in the game and will run through brick walls to see you succeed 
  7. SME: We’ll connect you with subject matter experts who can provide tailored industry advice on how to approach your business
  8. Community: You’ll gain access to ANZ’s largest startup community of founders, operators and investors who are ready to support you on your journey.  
  9. World-class talent pool: Within our 2000+ startmate fellowship alumni are the hires you need to take your startup to the next level at your fingertips: pre-vetted, upskilled, and hungry to join a high-growth startup. 
  10. The best platform in ANZ to raise capital: Having the Startmate brand behind you will be a stamp of approval to every potential investor or employee you meet.

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The right person at the right time to navigate your leadership and personal challenges

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Exec coaching and personal advisory to excel in your career

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Make lifelong friends on similar trajectories to support you every step of the way

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Join ANZ's largest startup community

Apply now

Is the membership virtual or in-person?

The membership is part virtual, part in-person. The executive coaching and advisory board sessions will be virtual, but the ‘level-ups’ and curated social events will be in person.

Due to confidentiality and the need to create a safe space for candid conversations, virtual sessions will not be recorded.

What is the time commitment?

On average, the compulsory time commitment is 1.5 hours per fortnight. 

Beyond this, participants are also encouraged to engage with each other and dig into bonus opportunities depending on their capacity.

What is the cadence?

There will be 1 x 90-minute virtual session per fortnight, alternating between Exec Coaching and Peer Advisory sessions. 

The specific day/time of these sessions will vary to suit your individual availability, as well as the availability of your Coaching and Peer Advisory group members. 

In addition to these fortnightly sessions, there will also be monthly in-person ‘level-up’ workshops, and optional social events and catch-ups.

Is attendance mandatory?

We believe you get out what you put in. Given the limited cohort size, we want participants who are ready to commit to their growth and are present to support their fellow Ladymates Leaders. 

For this reason, attendance is mandatory. Participants who miss more than one session may be withdrawn from the membership*, so please get in touch if you have concerns about your availability.

‍*except in extenuating circumstances

I don’t know if I’m eligible

We appreciate that 'leadership' can be a bit hard to define, so we consider individual eligibility on a case-by-case basis.

  • As a general guideline, this night look like:some text
    • A ‘Head of’ or ‘Chief of’ level or higher
    • A senior manager (i.e. with a team of 3+ direct reports)
    • A Founder
  • If you believe your position in leadership sits outside these guidelines, we’d still encourage you to apply!

What type of mentoring/coaching will I receive?

There are three types of mentoring/support women will receive through Ladymates Leadership.

  • Firstly, there's small group exec coaching. We will match you with an exec coach based on your availability and individual goals.
  • Secondly, there is peer mentoring. We'll group the cohort into 'peer advisory groups', where women will be able to work through challenges, soundboard ideas, and get feedback from other Ladymates Leaders who are facing similar challenges.
  • Thirdly, there will be in-person 'level ups', where we will get a topic expert to come in to lead a workshop on something the Leaders request more support with.
    • Some examples of past sessions include ‘asserting influence through storytelling’ with Arabella Macpherson, ‘presence and body language’ with Lucy Allen, ‘having difficult conversations’ with May Samali, etc.  
    • The topic and expert will differ depending on what the women of the cohort request.

What is the investment? Are there any discounts?

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Silver Membership

Price per Quarter, paid quarterly (incl GST): $825

Price per Quarter, paid annually (incl GST): $750

Price per Year (incl GST): $3,000

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Offerings:

  • 10x Workshops: In-person, highly impactful to help you elevate your leadership skills, such as asserting influence, mastering difficult conversations, public speaking, etc.
  • 10x Peer Advisory Board Sessions: In-person, curated peer groups to soundboard & navigate challenges you’re facing in your career.
  • 4x Role Advisory Sessions: Virtual, meet-ups with other women in similar roles to navigate challenges & solve problems together.
  • Access to private social events: Hosted by & for your fellow Ladymates Leadership community.

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Gold Membership

Price per Quarter, paid quarterly (incl GST): $1,650

Price per Quarter, paid annually (incl GST): $1,500

Price per Year (incl GST): $6,000

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Offerings:

  • 10x Workshops: In-person, highly impactful to help you elevate your leadership skills, such as asserting influence, mastering difficult conversations, public speaking, etc.
  • 10x Peer Advisory Board Sessions: In-person, curated peer groups to soundboard & navigate challenges you’re facing in your career.
  • 4x Role Advisory Sessions: Virtual, meet-ups with other women in similar roles to navigate challenges & solve problems together.
  • Access to private social events: Hosted by & for your fellow Ladymates Leadership community.
  • 10x Group Exec Coaching: 90 minute sessions, max 5 women per group, matched based on shared goals & objectives, allocated a top exec coach best suited to achieving those desired outcomes.

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Platinum Membership

Price per Quarter, paid quarterly (incl GST): $4,125

Price per Quarter, paid annually (incl GST): $3,750

Price per Year (incl GST): $15,000

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Offerings:

  • 10x Workshops: In-person, highly impactful to help you elevate your leadership skills, such as asserting influence, mastering difficult conversations, public speaking, etc.
  • 10x Peer Advisory Board Sessions: In-person, curated peer groups to soundboard & navigate challenges you’re facing in your career.
  • 4x Role Advisory Sessions: Virtual, meet-ups with other women in similar roles to navigate challenges & solve problems together.
  • Access to private social events: Hosted by & for your fellow Ladymates Leadership community.
  • 10x Group Exec Coaching: 90 minute sessions, max 5 women per group, matched based on shared goals & objectives, allocated a top exec coach best suited to achieving those desired outcomes.
  • 10x 1-1 Exec Coaching: 90 minute sessions, one-on-one coaching, matched with a top exec coach who will mentor & support you improve business performance, enhance personal growth & increase confidence.

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We recognise intersectional disadvantages, and we appreciate that some women are also impacted by additional discrimination (based on age, disability, ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, etc). While we can't dismantle these systems on our own, Startmate offers partial scholarships for eligible candidates.

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You can read more about our scholarships here.

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