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Nine visionary social entrepreneurs to share $1.5M in grants from The Snow Foundation

Menchie Khairuddin October 26, 2023

3 min read

The second cohort of the Snow Entrepreneurs – fellowships for social change program has been announced, with nine visionary, social impact start-up leaders selected.

The recipients will share in grants totalling $1.5 million and enjoy extensive capacity-building support.

In addition to $100-200k each in philanthropic funding, the Snow Entrepreneurs receive comprehensive wrap-around support, including a three-day leadership recharge, mentoring and tailored advisory services through Social Impact Hub, a 12-week Antler Founders program, and invaluable peer cohort engagement and connections.

“These fellowships honour our own entrepreneurial beginnings and those of our Founder, Terry Snow AM. We have a long history of supporting and maintaining long-term partnerships with passionate up-and-coming entrepreneurs who are looking to solve problems in new ways,” The Snow Foundation CEO Georgina Byron AM said.

“These remarkable leaders and changemakers are deeply committed and have a realistic potential for impact”, Byron added.

“Many of them are motivated by their own lived experience to develop innovative solutions that help address gaps.”

In this year’s cohort, almost all of the selected fellows bring lived experience to their initiatives, showcasing a personal connection to the issues they aim to tackle. In addition, their initiatives address a diverse range of critical issues, including disability (2), employment pathways (3), domestic violence/homelessness (2), education (2), and mental health (2).

Nicole Dyson, Founder and CEO of Future Anything and new Snow Entrepreneurs said, “being a founder sometimes feels like you’re stuck in a really bad line dance; constantly taking two steps forward, and one step back over and over again.

“Being a Snow Entrepreneur means a complete step change in my growth as a leader, and the impact of my organisation. It means being able to step back from the ‘busy’ long enough to work ‘on’ the business, rather than ‘in’ the business. And, perhaps most importantly, it is humbling recognition that the work that I am leading is important.”

The nine recipients:

RoboFit (Vigor Technologies) | Maryanne Harris – Disability; Wollongong, Sydney, Brisbane: RoboFit helps mobility-impaired patients explore what is possible by harnessing new and emerging technologies like neuro-controlled exoskeletons. Co-founders Maryanne Harris and her husband Daniel Hillyer, who experienced paralysis due to an accident, aim to increase accessibility to this technology for those who need it.
SpendAble | Reece Miller – Disability / Aged Care; Melbourne / National: SpendAble protects vulnerable people from financial abuse. Founder Reece Miller seeks to give people the opportunity to control their own money safely and independently regardless of age or disability.
Foremind | Joel Anderson – Mental Health; Canberra / National: Foremind is on a mission towards zero suicide by making mental health and wellbeing support affordable for businesses of every size. Founder Joel Anderson, driven by his own experience, aims to break down barriers to mental health support.
Future Anything | Nicole Dyson – Education; Brisbane / National: Future Anything is on a mission to create enterprising students, empowered educators and future-ready schools. Founder Nicole Dyson aims to engage students and prepare them for a rapidly changing world.
ReLove | Renuka Fernando – Domestic Violence / Homelessness; Sydney: ReLove’s goal is to break the cycles of poverty experienced by women and children impacted by domestic violence and homelessness as they access safe housing. Co-founders Renuka Fernando and Ben Stammer and their team walk alongside families to fully furnish their homes with everything they need to restart their lives.
Scriibed | Melanie Greblo – Domestic Violence / Employment Pathways; Sydney / National: Scriibed helps women rebuild their lives after abuse by training and employing them in the digital economy. Founder Melanie Greblo offers digital services to corporate and government clients, creating opportunities for women.
Youngster.co | Tony Rothacker – Life Skills / Employment Opportunities; NSW Central Coast / National: Youngster.co creates job opportunities and life skills through young people teaching older adults tech skills. Co-founders Tony Rothacker and his son Finn aim to reduce loneliness and build stronger communities through intergenerational connections.
Deadly Runners | Georgia Weir – Health / Mental Health; NSW South Coast / National: Deadly Runners is a grassroots running club for First Nations people, promoting physical and mental wellbeing. Founder Georgia Weir’s personal journey with running and addiction fuels her mission.
Hold Access | Jason-Urranndulla Davis – Indigenous; Darwin / National: Hold Access offers a digital wallet and physical card for secure identification, benefiting First Nations and others. Founder Jason Davis, with extensive experience in Indigenous policy and programs, addresses a critical issue of under-documentation which poses a barrier to employment and education.

The Snow Foundation has a long history of supporting people who have a drive to make the world a better place, through innovative social enterprises. “The Foundation, and our family, remain committed to fostering innovation and positive change in the social sector and the community in general, now and into the future,” Byron concluded.

Menchie Khairuddin

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Menchie Khairuddin is a writer Deputy Content Manager at Akolade and content producer for Third Sector News. She is passionate about social affairs specifically in mixed, multicultural heritage and not-for-profit organisations.