Forging STEM Founders Early: How UNSW’s New Wave Program Helps Women Start Something New and launch their start-up

🎙️ Forging Founders Early: How UNSW’s New Wave Program Helps Women in STEMM ( and others) Start Something New

Victoria Rose Tucker on why it’s never too early to explore entrepreneurship—and how women can take the first step with support, structure, and community

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

• Why the startup world needs more women founders—and how programs like New Wave open doors
• How to test your entrepreneurial curiosity without quitting your job or degree
• What makes UNSW’s New Wave program unique in lowering the barrier to entry
• How mentorship and confidence-building are just as important as funding
• Real-life outcomes: from AI health tools to inclusive innovation leadership

🧠 About the Guest:

Victoria Rose Tucker is Program Manager of UNSW’s New Wave, an accelerator designed to empower women entrepreneurs—many from science backgrounds—to take the first step into the startup world. Victoria shares how the program’s structure, community, and low-barrier entry approach is helping women build confidence, test ideas, and change the face of early-stage entrepreneurship.

📌 Episode Highlights:

• 03:15 Overview of UNSW Founders’ entrepreneurial programs
• 05:13 Who can join and how it works
• 06:07 New Wave structure & what participants actually do
• 07:15 The real challenges women face—and how the program supports them
• 09:45 Success stories & future vision
• 16:46 Debunking the myths of what a founder “should” look like
• 32:22 Early-stage ideas: discreet solutions to real-world needs
• 32:37 Spotlight: AI-powered chronic illness management (Team Toastie)
• 34:05 Addressing the gender data gap in health
• 34:53 Mentorship, peer support & community
• 37:01 Building purposeful, diverse teams
• 39:02 Celebrating wins: showcase & awards
• 42:35 Victoria’s own path into entrepreneurship
• 48:21 Momentum Month: sustaining progress beyond the program
• 53:22 The future of inclusive entrepreneurship
• 54:39 How to create more opportunities for women in STEMM
• 59:48 Final reflections and call to action

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• UNSW Founders – New Wave Program

🤔 Reflection Time:

• Could a program like New Wave help you take your first step toward entrepreneurship?
• What stories or stats shook your assumptions in this episode?
• Is there an idea you’ve been sitting on that’s worth testing—just to see?

Want to craft a career story that opens doors?

I help STEMM professionals speak with clarity, confidence, and purpose and show up as thought leaders —so the right opportunities find you.

📬 Let’s connect: angeliquegreco.com.au | LinkedIn 

 

⭐️ Help More People Reinvent Their Careers

If you enjoyed this episode, please:

• ✅ Leave a quick ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 🙏
• ♻️ Share it with a friend who's questioning their path in STEM

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