Northern Rivers women urged to enter business competition

NORTHERN Rivers women are being encouraged to take part in a national competition offering $60,000 to help entrepreneurs launch new business ideas.

The Kickstarter Challenge, run by the Accelerator for Enterprising Women, has seen entries surge in 2025 amid what analysts describe as a funding drought for female-led businesses.

Byron Bay photographer Abby Seymour, who runs Sunday Studio Photography, said the competition can make a real difference for women starting out.

“It can be very difficult to get a foot in the door, particularly if no one is holding the door open for you,” Seymour said.

She said the Kickstarter prize money could help transform a new business.

“A funding boost like the one offered by the Kickstarter competition could quite literally kick-start a business that would otherwise have taken years to establish.

“I think it’s important to look for and accept support, particularly when there are initiatives out there like this one to help.”

Seymour started her photography business in New Zealand in 2022 before relocating to Byron Bay the following year.

She said confidence remains a major hurdle for many women setting up businesses.

“You need to believe in yourself and be able to present that belief to the world.”

“Women typically aren’t celebrated for having strong self-belief or self-assurance in their abilities, so I think this can be a real hurdle for women running businesses.

“In my experience, women have to show a lot more than men to be taken seriously, particularly in creative industries.”

Finalists in the Kickstarter Challenge will pitch to judges in Canberra in November, with the winner to receive $30,000 and four runners-up $7500 each.