More than 50 local female-led businesses including eco-friendly haircare, an art studio and a swimwear brand will receive funding and support through the Lord Mayor’s Women in Business Grants Program.
Since the program’s inception in 2021, 211 female-founded companies have shared in $1 million as part of the Schrinner Council’s plan to make it easier to do business in Brisbane.
The Lord Mayor’s Women in Business Grants program offers successful applicants a share of $250,000 per round to fund essential training, purchase necessary equipment and participate in professional services to help their businesses grow.
There were 52 members selected as part of the latest cohort who will receive up to $5000 each and operate across various sectors including:
- 19 professional service providers,
- 16 organisations offering healthcare services,
- Six retail focused businesses,
- Three educational organisations.
- Eight other businesses spanning manufacturing, non-for-profit, arts, IT and sports industries
One of this year’s recipients Amanda Thompson founded her sustainable, eco-friendly haircare brand SOPHIC in 2020 which she operates out of her warehouse in Stafford.
The idea for the business came after Ms Thompson was diagnosed with a chronic immune disorder, prompting her to re-evaluate the ingredients in products she was using, as well as their impact on the environment.
Her grant funding will help the business begin working with a carbon accountant as SOPHIC takes the next step on its sustainability journey.
Beyond financial support, all grant recipients will benefit from a 12-month development program, delivered by the Brisbane Business Hub and supported by Commonwealth Bank of Australia, presenting partner of the 2025 Women in Business Grant and program, to help boost leadership skills and make vital connections.
Women are making their mark on Brisbane’s business landscape, with the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showing they now represent 36 per cent of business owners.
Female-led businesses in Australia have grown by more than 20 per cent in the past 10 years, but there is still more to do
The program is just one of many offered by the Schrinner Council to support Brisbane businesses including:
- access to our 24/7 Business Hotline (133 BNE)
- access to more than 2000 grants worth $59 billion through our Funding Finder tool
- free events at Council libraries which can help businesses learn more and develop their skills
- a full-service workspace at the Brisbane Business Hub which regularly hosts free events and workshops run by industry professionals.
For more information on the Lord Mayor’s Women in Business Grant program, and a full list of this year’s recipients, visit businesshub.brisbane.qld.au.
Quotes attributable to Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner:
“Our diverse business community is one of the many reasons why Brisbane is the best place to live, work and relax.
“We are Australia’s most small business-friendly city and have a strong history of supporting local businesses and this is something we want to continue.
“Female-run businesses are a fast-growing sector and our local small-businesses are making waves across their respective industries.
“This program delivers funding and mentorship and has already helped hundreds of businesses make their dreams a reality and it’s fantastic to see so many local female-led businesses thrive.”
Quotes attributable to SOPHIC founder Amanda Thompson:
“The environment is incredibly important to us, and we hope to refine our entire process to be net zero by 2028.
“Short-term we would like to expand our range of products while ensuring our consumer product offering is manufactured locally, and we are minimising impact on the environment.
“We want to expand internationally and hope to be exporting to multiple countries long term. We would love to be able to have a larger warehouse and create more jobs so that we have more staff helping us on our mission.
“Brisbane has an incredible community of business owners who support each other right through the manufacturing process.
“Because of this, we are able to create a really healthy, clean Australian-made product all while putting money back into other local businesses.”
