Press play on the founder you're about to become.
Turn your expertise into an AI-powered startup. No technical background needed, no equity taken — just a 12-week program built around women with real-world insight and the ambition to build.
Applications are open now. Only 25 scholarship spots — plus $5,000 in founder prizes for the strongest applications.
Backed by the best in the ecosystem.
Our incredible partners are committed to helping make your startup successful.
$5,000 for the applications that stand out.
We back effort from day one. The strongest applications to this cohort share in a $5,000 prize pool — awarded before the program even begins. Part of it is a secret, revealed only once you apply.
Application Excellence Awards
5 × $800
Five awards for outstanding applications — judged on effort and evidence, not polish. Customer conversations, a clearly named problem and a genuine reason to build all count more than a slick pitch.
Secret prize · Revealed on apply
$1,000
There's one more prize we're not explaining yet. Submit your application and we'll email you how to enter for an additional $1,000 — a separate challenge, open to every applicant.
You don't need a perfect idea to win — you need a real one. Every applicant is eligible for both.
Every founder starts from a different place.
The program meets you where you are. Pick the track that sounds most like you — the curriculum, coaching and community flex to fill your specific gaps.
You know the problem inside out.
You've spent 10–20 years in health, education, finance, HR, sustainability or another industry. You can describe the problem in one sentence — what's been missing is a pathway to build the solution.
- 01AI fluency without the jargon — what today's AI can actually do for your industry
- 02Hands-on prototyping workshops that turn your insight into a working AI-enabled product
- 03Frameworks to move from "I see the problem" to "here's my validated solution"
You'll leave with
- An AI-enabled prototype built on your domain expertise
- Validated problem–solution fit with real customers
- The technical vocabulary to brief developers and partners with confidence
You've built the models. Now build the business.
You come from data science, engineering or applied ML. Building is the easy part — what you want is the commercial toolkit: customers, pricing, positioning and the confidence to pitch.
- 01Customer discovery methods that find real buyers for what you can build
- 02AI business models and unit economics — how AI companies actually make money
- 03Pitch coaching and direct pathways to accelerators and investors
You'll leave with
- A clear AI business model and pricing strategy
- A defined go-to-market plan with early customer evidence
- A pitch you're genuinely confident delivering
High capability, new territory.
You're smart, driven and ready for your next chapter — but you don't have a technical co-founder, an investor network or years of AI experience. That's exactly who this program was designed for.
- 01Full-stack support: AI fundamentals, business fundamentals and prototyping, step by step
- 02A community of ambitious women so you're never building alone
- 03Coaching from founders who've navigated the same rooms — and the same doubts
You'll leave with
- A working prototype and a structured 12-month roadmap
- Connections across Victoria's startup ecosystem — mentors, partners, investors
- Earned confidence: proof you can build, not just permission to try
Build AI and business smarts.
Three pillars run through everything: education, hands-on experience and empowerment through community and connections.
Discover & validate
Find problems worth solving
Identify real-world problems and validate AI-enabled solutions that address genuine customer needs — before you build.
AI fluency
Become a confident AI founder
Practical knowledge in AI, data literacy, ethics, privacy and responsible AI — enough to build, brief and make good decisions.
Prototype & test
Learn by building
Create and test AI-enabled prototypes, gather customer feedback and shape an early go-to-market strategy.
World-class guidance
Coaching that opens doors
Real-world insight from founders, operators and AI specialists — plus pathways to clients, accelerators and investors.
Built around your founder journey.
Guided workshops, practical tools and expert support — around 4–5 hours a week, delivered online with in-person events across Victoria.
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TRACK 01
Discover opportunities
Learn how AI-native and AI-enabled businesses create value, explore practical business models and understand the unit economics behind successful AI companies.
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TRACK 02
Find your founder fit
Use our proprietary AI tools to accelerate your startup journey while getting guidance from founders and operators who've walked in your shoes.
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TRACK 03
Learn by building
Hands-on workshops covering opportunity discovery, customer validation, prototyping, MVP development and go-to-market execution.
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TRACK 04
Connect, grow & lead
Build your founder capabilities and your network across the AI ecosystem — mentors, partners and investors — with alumni check-ins at 3 and 6 months after the program.
Designed for real lives, not just résumés.
The program removes the usual barriers — cost, credentials and time.
95% off
Scholarships & zero equity
Up to 25 scholarships at 95% off. The program is equity-free — whatever you build is always yours.
$5,000
Founder prize pool
Five $800 cash awards for the strongest applications — plus a secret $1,000 prize revealed once you apply.
0 code
No technical background required
You don't need to be an engineer or data scientist. We give you the tools, frameworks and support to bring your ideas to life.
4–5 hrs
Built for busy women
About 4–5 hours a week across workshops and practical activities. The rest of your time stays yours — for work, family and thinking space.
Alumni have raised investment, landed major customers and launched.
The sessions questioned and challenged the work we'd already done — for the better — and supported us through roadblocks we couldn't get past alone. Highly recommend.
A fantastic development opportunity for me, my business and my corporate career. The coaching and accountability accelerated my business in a way I couldn't have achieved on my own.
Pivotal in my path as a technology startup founder. Through the networks, industry insights and hands-on experience, I now feel confident in my capacity to advance.
Read the full case studies about the businesses our founders have built.
Built by founders who've been there.
We've experienced the challenges of building businesses firsthand — and created the program we wish we'd had when we started.
Isaac Jeffries
Evander Strategy
Facilitator and coach who has worked with 935+ startup founders.
LinkedIn →Sangeeta Mulchandani
Jumpstart Studio
Author, speaker, lecturer and third-generation entrepreneur.
LinkedIn →Preethi Mohan
NiceTo
Three-time founder, angel investor, advisor and startup show host.
LinkedIn →Frequently asked questions.
Who is Press Play for?
Ambitious women who want to explore entrepreneurship and build AI-powered solutions to real-world problems — whether you work in corporate, tech, consulting, healthcare, education, finance or government. You don't need a technical background, startup experience or a fully formed idea. We're looking for women who are curious, resourceful and motivated to learn, experiment and solve meaningful problems.
What counts as an AI startup?
A business where AI is core to how it creates value — not just a bolt-on feature. That includes automating complex tasks, generating insights from data, personalising experiences or solving problems that were previously impossible or too expensive. You don't need to build your own models; many successful startups build on existing foundation models to solve specific customer problems.
How do the cash prizes work?
This cohort includes a $5,000 prize pool. $4,000 is awarded as five $800 Application Excellence Awards, judged on the quality and effort of your application — evidence of customer conversations, a clearly defined problem and genuine motivation to build. The remaining $1,000 is a secret prize: once you submit your application, we'll email you the details of a separate challenge you can enter to win it. You don't need to be accepted into the program to win either, and winning doesn't guarantee a place: the prizes reward great applications, full stop.
What's the time commitment?
Around 4–5 hours per week: 2 hours of compulsory programming, plus optional activities to help you get ahead on your business.
Where does it take place?
Primarily online, with in-person events and practical sessions across Victoria.
When do applications close?
Applications are open now — apply here. Spots are limited to 25 scholarships, so don't leave it to the last minute. Follow us on LinkedIn for key dates and announcements.
Not ready to take the leap yet?
We completely understand. Dip your toes in the water and get on the list to hear about the events, workshops and networking opportunities we host — plus first word when the next cohort opens.
Your idea is ready. Press play.
Applications are open now, with only 25 scholarship spots at 95% off — and $5,000 in prizes for the applications that stand out — including a secret $1,000 prize revealed once you apply.
Apply nowEquity-free · $5,000 prize pool · Online + in-person · Proudly supported by Innovation Victoria