{"id":38447,"date":"2023-10-20T14:56:34","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T14:56:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/startupsmart.test\/2023\/10\/20\/spark-accelerator-announces-its-latest-intake-of-poverty-fighting-startups-including-a-former-neighbours-star-startupsmart\/"},"modified":"2023-10-20T14:56:34","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T14:56:34","slug":"spark-accelerator-announces-its-latest-intake-of-poverty-fighting-startups-including-a-former-neighbours-star-startupsmart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/uncategorized\/spark-accelerator-announces-its-latest-intake-of-poverty-fighting-startups-including-a-former-neighbours-star-startupsmart\/","title":{"rendered":"Spark Accelerator announces its latest intake of poverty-fighting startups, including a former Neighbours star – StartupSmart"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Spark<\/div>\n

A Melbourne accelerator for startups that are helping to reduce poverty has welcome nine Australian entrepreneurs into its three-month program, including former Neighbours star\u00a0Saskia Hampele.<\/p>\n

Spark Accelerator<\/a> founders Kaitlin and Aaron Tait say the program, which is run around the world with mentors like Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, has impacted more than 150,000 people living in poverty.<\/p>\n

The Taits head the Melbourne arm and work closely with new founders on the ground and mentors like Vinomofo co-founder Justin Dry and Pozible co-founder Rick Chen.<\/p>\n

Over the next 12 weeks, accelerator participants will receive training, coaching and mentoring as they build a range of impact-driven ventures.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey will work closely with the YGAP team as well as with key experts in our networks to help them in key areas they need to focus on,\u201d Kaitlin Tait tells StartupSmart.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ll also learn from some of Australia\u2019s top social ventures like Who Gives a Crap and Thank You.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to opportunities to apply for funding, accelerator participants will have access to a range of resources including creative support.<\/p>\n

At the conclusion of the accelerator, two teams will be chosen to enter YGAP Spark\u2019s 12-month incubator which includes $25,000 in early-stage funding and one year of office space to keep the teams on track and scaling upward.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone has come in with a strong idea that is getting good early impacts, but we are super excited about the potential many of them have for significant growth, not just here in Australia but globally as well,\u201d Tait says.<\/p>\n

Hampele, who has appeared on\u00a0Neighbours\u00a0<\/em>since 2012, is building Gift Box, a startup top help more than 85,000 homeless women across Australia get better acess to sanitary products, and is one of the nine accepted entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n

“Last year, I was asked to donate to a tampon drive to help supply sanitary care to homeless women,” Hampele tells StartupSmart.<\/em><\/p>\n

“I set out to create a sustainable enterprise that would absorb the costs of donating product one for one. I don’t think it is fair that women are being made to buy double the product and pay double the tax\u00a0to ensure that fellow women didn’t have to go without.”<\/p>\n

Gift Box, which raised nearly $50,000 in a crowdfunding campaign this July, donates one box of tampons for each one sold.<\/p>\n

“<\/span>Our customers\u00a0will be able to sign up to a subscription service or purchase product from our online store, and eventually our tampons will be available in select stores as well,”\u00a0<\/span>Hampele\u00a0says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“I’m really excited to start implementing some new strategies and ideas into the business.”<\/p>\n

Meet the other impact entrepreneurs:<\/h3>\n