2024
Background
With Westpac’s backing, Fishburners will be launching two programs under the Ascent Project aimed at increasing the representation of female founders in the startup ecosystem.
The Ascent Project was more than just an accelerator—it was a movement. Powered by Westpac and Fishburners, this program was designed to support 23 pre-revenue and 16 post-revenue, women-led startups in scaling their businesses with confidence.
As the marketing and comms lead, I orchestrated the campaign strategy from the ground up. I managed everything from social media content and event promotion to storytelling and email flows—building excitement around a jam-packed schedule that included pitch nights, expert panels, and a high-energy Demo Day.
Results and Impact
With over 1000+ attendees at the events and judges from M8 Ventures, AirTree, and Fishburners' executive team, the program created a thriving ecosystem of support and visibility for women entrepreneurs. During the campaign, we achieved a 75% spike in engagement across social channels and drove more than 10,000 visitors to the website.
The best part? Many partnerships and mentorships seeded during the program have continued to flourish beyond Demo Day.