Springboard to success for aspiring female founders

Friday, 28 March 2025

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The Integrated Innovation Network (I2N) at the University of Newcastle is a powerful platform fuelling the success of innovators and entrepreneurs across our regions. Thanks to generous new funding from The Belinda & Adam MacDougall Foundation, I2N’s Female Founders Program is set to empower more female-led startups to turn their brilliant ideas into viable ventures with lasting social impact.

Lisa Winn and her children, Ella and Hunter smiling at camera
Lisa Winn and her children, Ella (left) and Hunter (right), at a recent I2N event. The Female Founders Program provides participants with ongoing opportunities to present, network, and excel in their ventures.

What holds brilliant ideas back from becoming reality? For many, it's a lack of knowledge and experience, and a lack of finances. But for women, the obstacles are even greater. Despite immense potential to create innovative solutions, women across all demographics are held back from pursuing the route of entrepreneurship due to competing responsibilities and other gender-based obstacles. Entrepreneur and alumna Belinda MacDougall's passion for helping women in her hometown of Newcastle, led to her support of the program.

Entrepreneurship brings many benefits to communities but is a hard road full of setbacks. Women have amazing minds and fabulous ideas, and with a bit of support can achieve anything. If we can help build confidence and aid more women to bring their ideas to market that is a great outcome."


Belinda MacDougall
The Belinda & Adam MacDougall Foundation
Bachelor of Arts (Communication Studies), 2002

Making a splash in health tech

The Female Founders Program is a 10-week program that connects founders with mentors, partners and investors.

One participant making a splash with her company IhydRATE is Lisa Winn. Her groundbreaking saliva-based hydration test named Salhy is set to launch this year after years of research and development, prototyping and clinical validation trials.

The Salhy test uses cutting edge biomarkers and machine vision software to measure hydration. It will support people in high-risk fields like mining and firefighting, plus athletes and other at-risk groups.

“The Female Founders Program not only encouraged me to go for it in the early stages of developing the Salhy test – and supported me when things got tough – it connected me to a whole network within the University. All those resulting collaborations were invaluable in helping me to develop this product and get it into the hands of people who need it,” says Lisa.

Thank you

Thanks to generous funding from The Belinda & Adam MacDougall Foundation, the University can continue to grow a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem that expands and transforms industries, helps meet global challenges, and amplifies economic and social wellbeing — regionally and nationally.

If you would like to find a community program to support that aligns with your values, please see our team's contact information below.

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