New Wave offers participants the opportunity to:

• Meet like-minded women, form a team and collaborate on an idea

• Learn essential entrepreneurial skills like pitching, leadership and design thinking

• Boost your LinkedIn profile and presence

• Learn from subject-matter experts on how to turn an idea into reality

• Work 1:1 with Startup Coaches

• Be guided by industry leading mentors

• Pitch at a showcase event to a live audience and win amazing prizes

• Visit world-leading companies such as Amazon and Microsoft on Excursion days

• Build confidence, make friends and have fun!

• Earn a Credly badge to publish on LinkedIn

• Get program participation recognised as co-curricular and professional development activity with UNSW Advantage (Terms and conditions apply)

  
  

There are 3 pathways into New Wave:

• Apply without an idea (looking to join a team)​

• Apply with an idea (looking for teammates)​

• Apply with an idea as a solo founder/ fully formed team (ready to go).
  
  Note there is a max of 4 members per team and all team members must fit the below eligibility criteria.

To be eligible for New Wave*, you must:

• Be 18 years or older; and

• Identify as a woman; and be an

• Existing UNSW student enrolled in an Undergraduate, Masters or PhD program; or an

• Alumni of UNSW (i.e. graduated from an undergraduate or postgraduate UNSW program); or

• UNSW academic staff (it is advised that you seek approval from your manager and seek guidance on ownership of any Intellectual Property); or

• UNSW professional staff (it is advised that you seek approval from your manager and seek guidance on ownership of any Intellectual Property).

Important notes:

• For the in-person format of the program, you must be available to attend face-to-face workshops and events in Sydney

• *The program is also open to a limited number of South-west Sydney based researchers , entrepreneurs and innovators (who identify as women). Reach out to newwave@unsw.edu.au to find out more.

2025 dates

Mar-April 2025 - Virtual cohort
Sep 2025 - In-person

2024 dates

May 2024 - In-person

September-October 2024 - Virtual

New Wave Virtual

This version is designed to be more flexible as you are not required to attend in-person workshops during the day and workshops are run outside of office hours (6:30pm-8pm).

Learning will primarily take place online via an online learning platform and during the 2 x online live Zoom sessions each week (Monday and Wednesday evenings), which you are expected to attend, however, these sessions will be recorded.

Each week you will need to complete modules and activities to progress through the program.

You can watch the video lessons and read the material at your own pace, on your phone or computer.

As UNSW Founders is based at UNSW Sydney, any additional in-person events (e.g. Networking events) will be located in Sydney or otherwise, online.

New Wave Immersive

New Wave immersive is a 2 Week Intensive Program, run in-person with elements of online learning.

If you are looking for an immersive experience that will provide you with the opportunity to focus on your entrepreneurial development and incubate your ideas in a supportive environment with like-minded women, this is the version for you!

Each day of the program (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays), you will attend in-person workshops and be given time to apply your learnings and work on your ventures and with your teams. Learning will primarily take place during workshops and will be complimented by online modules. Programming hours are 9:30am-4:00pm.

In addition to the workshops, there will be networking events, site visits and 1:1 support provided and you are invited to work onsite outside of programming hours (including Tuesdays and Thursdays).

Each week you will need to complete activities to progress through the program.

Both versions of the program require a 3-minute pitch submission on completion of the program.

We know that accessing finance is one of the biggest challenges women face when starting or growing a business; that’s why we offer cash prizes as part of our New Wave Showcase.

The selected top teams from the program get the opportunity to pitch to a panel of judges with winners taking home up to $15,000 in non-dilutive funding.

The event prize pool is proudly supported and sponsored by Westpac, UNSW Faculty of Engineering, UNSW Faculty of Medicine & Health, and AGSM @ UNSW Business School.

Cash Prizes and Awards

- New Wave First Place sponsored by Westpac – $7,500
Find out more about Westpac’s commitment to financial inclusion here.

- UNSW Engineering Faculty Award - $3,000

- UNSW Medicine & Health Faculty Award - $3,000

- AGSM @ UNSW Business School Award - $3,000

- UNSW Founders People’s Choice Award – $1,500

We understand that running the New Wave Program in-person at UNSW Sydney has its perks but it may also create barriers for UNSW affiliates who don’t reside in Sydney. That’s why we are excited to partner with UNSW Canberra to offer up to five New Wave Ambassador Scholarships worth up to $2000 each to help you attend the 2-week program in-person in Sydney.

What is included in the scholarship?

The scholarship will be offered in the form of up to $2000 to go towards accommodation and travel costs to help you attend the face-to-face program in Sydney and the Showcase Event.

It will be your responsibility to book and arrange travel to/from Canberra and accommodation in Sydney, however we can provide recommendations.

For more details and key travel dates please request a copy of the New Wave Ambassador Scholarship Agreement Form (contact victoriarose.tucker@unsw.edu.au)

Who is eligible to apply for the scholarship?

To be eligible to apply for the scholarship, you must meet the standard program eligibility criteria AND reside in Canberra (proof of residence required). You will automatically be considered if you meet the above criteria. Please indicate Canberra as place of residence in your application.

How are scholarship recipients selected?

1. The New Wave Program Manager will review your written application

2. Should your initial application be successful, you will progress to the next round where you will have a 15 minute phone call with the New Wave Program Manager and a representative from UNSW Canberra to discuss your application. You will be contacted directly to arrange. Proof of residence will be requested at this stage.

3. Based on the above, up to two candidates will be offered a scholarship. Recipients will need to read and sign the terms and conditions associated with becoming a New Wave Program Ambassador as part of accepting their scholarship.

4. All unsuccessful scholarship applicants will be contacted and are still welcome to join the program or to re-apply for future cohorts.

​

JEINA Ignite, in partnership with UNSW Founders New Wave, empowers women from forced migration backgrounds through workshops, coaching, and mentorship - supporting UNSW students, staff, and alumni to launch impactful ventures.

What the grant offers:

• Funding Support – a grant of up to $5,000 to kickstart or grow an early-stage business or social impact project.

• Inclusive Access – A simplified and inclusive application process designed to recognise lived experience and remove systemic barriers.

• Leadership & Visibility – Support for women whose work is contributing to long-term impact, integration, and representation in leadership spaces.

• Community & Change – A pathway to showcase your project, contribute to knowledge-sharing, and participate in advocacy for inclusive entrepreneurship.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

- be a woman; and
- be a current participant or have participated in the UNSW Founders New Wave program no more than 3 years ago; and
- have lived experience of forced migration—refugees, asylum seekers, exiles, and others displaced by forces beyond their control; and
- have the right to work and operate your business in Australia; and
- have a willingness to act as a JEINA ambassador, including occasional media engagement and event participation.

Note that if applying for an upcoming New Wave cohort, you will be eligible after being offered a place in the program.

How to apply:

Applications are currently closed and the offering is under consideration for 2026.

Contact: jeina@unsw.edu.au

For further information about New Wave, get in touch with us at newwave@unsw.edu.au or book in a coaching call with New Wave Program Manager, Victoria Tucker.