In our Spotlight series, we’re introducing you to our first ever cohort of Ladymates Leaders.

We reckon they are just about the most incredible bunch ever to come through a Startmate program: they are smart, pioneering, natural leaders who have already achieved enormous amounts and will go on to change the face of this ecosystem. 

Meet Simone!

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Tell us a little bit about your career so far & your current role

My love for ag stems from my work on farms before university as it blended my passion for food and the environment. I subsequently studied agribusiness and worked in product management at agtech startups, developing SaaS and IoT solutions to enhance farm efficiency and sustainability. 

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In 2023, I joined the Startmate Women's Fellowship to engage with the broader startup ecosystem and deepen my understanding of startups. Through Startmate, I connected with Number 8 Bio, a company creating an affordable, scalable feed additive to reduce methane emissions in cattle. I am now Chief of Staff at N8B and loving working on such an important mission!

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Why did you apply to join LL?

Two main reasons - I got so much out of my time doing the Women's Fellowship that I was excited about this program that felt like a level up / next step. 

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In my new role and taking on more of a leadership position, the LL program came at this perfect time where I wanted to really grow my leadership skills and meet women that I could learn from and with.

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What's been the best part so far?

I've absolutely loved the program so far, the group of women are incredible and it's amazing to learn from everyone's experiences to date! There are no original thoughts (haha!) and so to now have this sounding board with fellow ladymates has been just so great. It's also led to a lot of introspection and levelling up in skills from the coaching and workshop sessions which I've gotten a lot out of too.

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What are you reading/watching/listening to at the moment?

I like to have 2 books on the go - 1 fiction & non-fiction. For non-fiction, I'm currently reading Working Backwards by Bill Carr and Colin Bryar. For book club, we're reading It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover atm

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Favourite quote?

"Do it because you CAN" (This motivate me to be active/do things out of my comfort zone haha!)

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Outside of work I love

Reading, baking cakes and eating with friends/family

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Ladymates leadership is ANZ's first highly vetted, mentor-driven community for women leaders in tech. You’ll get exec coaching, peer-to-peer mentorship, exclusive workshops and a powerful women-led community.

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We can’t wait to help you on this stage of your journey 💟

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>> start your application for our upcoming intake HERE.

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Itching for more? Read more here.