HSBC and Innovation Bay have today announced the 2025 recipients of the newly launched Ignite Innovation, an initiative aimed at increasing the representation of women across Australia and New Zealand’s founder and investor communities.
HSBC, Innovation Bay announce Ignite Innovation recipients
Centered around a purpose of broadening perspectives, fostering collaboration, and accelerating innovation, Ignite Innovation reflects a shared commitment by Innovation Bay and HSBC to create a more inclusive venture ecosystem.
The 2024 State of Australian Startup Funding Report recently found teams with a female founder saw their share of funding drop to just 15% of total allocated capital, down 3% compared to 2023, while all-woman teams received just 2%.
Ignite Innovation gives six selected female entrepreneurs and investors the opportunity to join the Innovation Bay network, Australia’s premier community for tech founders, venture capitalists, and angel investors. The initiative also offers access to HSBC resources and experts, including the Australia and New Zealand Chief Economist and the Tech and Venture Coverage Lead, a tailored upskilling and training program plus opportunities to leverage the bank’s global footprint.
In selecting the recipients, Innovation Bay and HSBC worked together to identify six outstanding women whose entrepreneurial work aligns with their shared vision for a more inclusive and dynamic business landscape.
Steve Hughes, Head of Banking Australia and New Zealand, Corporate and Institutional Banking at HSBC said “Congratulations to the very deserving recipients of Ignite Innovation. Since our beginning, HSBC has been an organisation that has championed a forward-thinking and entrepreneurial mindset.
“Our partnership with Innovation Bay is another example of this, and we are excited to work together to build a more inclusive venture ecosystem across Australia and New Zealand.
Phaedon Stough, CEO of Innovation Bay, said: “Increasing diversity in venture isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s essential for driving better innovation and stronger outcomes. Ignite Innovation is about breaking down barriers and creating meaningful opportunities for women in the founder and investor community.
“By partnering with HSBC, we’re not just opening doors for these incredible leaders; we’re strengthening the entire ecosystem. We’re thrilled to welcome this talented group to Innovation Bay and look forward to seeing their impact unfold.”
Congratulations to the 2025 recipients:
Selcen Arslan-Sibo, Founder & CEO at Sastain: Selcen is Founder & CEO at Sastain, a mission-driven B2B AI/ML SaaS platform that helps brands proactively address upstream
issues, reducing revenue loss, landfill waste, and carbon footprints. By enabling agile decision-making, it fosters meaningful change for a sustainable future.
Katy Landt, Co-Founder & CEO at Safe Ag Systems: Katy co-founded Safe Ag Systems, a comprehensive safety and operational management software that supports the daily operations, safety and productivity for farms and agribusinesses across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.
Anna Rakoczy, Co-Founder and CEO of the Homemade Method: Anna is the CEO and Co-Founder of the Homemade Method, a community subscription mobile app that helps women over 50 lose weight and reverse diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol without diets or drugs. We have helped over 35,000 women across the world.
Katy Barfield, Founder & CEO at Yume: Katy is Founder & CEO at Yume, a B2B tech platform that prevents surplus food from becoming waste. Industry leaders like Unilever, Mars Food, Simplot, and General Mills use Yume to sell or donate excess stock, keeping high-quality food out of landfill.
Nadine Hill, Partner at 2040 Ventures: Nadine is a seasoned venture capital professional and director with deep expertise in finance, strategy, and corporate governance. As a Partner at 2040 Ventures and a Director at Orah, Projectworks, QUBEdocs, and the Hungry Hungry Pty Group, she plays a pivotal role in helping technology startups scale to global success.
Lisa Fedorenko, Head of Impact Investing at Save the Children Global Ventures: Lisa is Head of Impact Investing, leading investments in innovative projects and companies driving transformative change for children across APAC. Lisa was named to the 2023 Fortune Change Makers list for co-founding Equity Clear.