Ventures - University of Queensland

Nominate by 7 September 2026

The LeadHers Awards will showcase and celebrate outstanding leadership capabilities demonstrated by women in entrepreneurship.

From founders and student leaders to those making a positive impact in their community, these awards are open to women and gender diverse people who are leading to create positive change.

The LeadHers Awards will celebrate these successful leaders from across the state. Nominate in the following three categories.

Nominations open Thursday 9 July 2026 and close at 12pm Monday 7 September 2026.

Student Award

Entrepreneurship Award

Community Award

Student Award

This award recognises a current student enrolled at The University of Queensland who has demonstrated leadership capabilities in a job or volunteer role.

Entrepreneurship Award

This award recognises a woman (or women) who has developed an innovative and entrepreneurial venture.

Community Award

This award recognises women leaders making a positive impact in their community.

Keep up to date with the following timeline and make sure to submit your nominations before the closing date.

Time	Activity	Details
9 July 2026	Nominations open	To make your nomination please complete the online nomination form.
7 September 2026 (12pm)	Nominations close	Submit your nomination before nominations close to ensure your nomination is reviewed.
2 October 2026	Judging	Judging finslaised for all Award categories.
Week of 5 October 2026	Shortlist announced	The shortlisted finalists for each award will be announced.
19 November 2026	Award ceremony	Nominees and other invited attendees will come together for the announcement of all award winners at the LeadHers Rise event - Celebrating Women's Entrepreneurship Day.

Our LeadHers History

The Ventures LeadHers program was launched in 2018 to address an identified confidence gap among UQ women entrepreneurs and their male counterparts, and to encourage and support more women in entrepreneurship and leadership.

Since 2018, LeadHers has grown from a single program to encompass multiple initiatives supporting the professional growth of women at UQ including a 4-week Foundational Program, Staff Days, PhD Days, and our annual LeadHers Rise celebration of Women's Entrepreneurship Day.

In 2023 Ventures introduced the Empower Pre-Accelerator to further support women entrepreneurs to develop strong business foundations for their startups. Since 2023, Empower has supported 75 women in developing their businesses.

The LeadHers Awards build on this legacy by recognising and celebrating the achievements of women entrepreneurs and leaders, while championing greater visibility, representation, and equity in entrepreneurship and leadership.