Giant Warm INTRO x SOUTHSTART 2026
We’re teaming up with SOUTHSTART as a Community Session Partner to bring a special edition of the Giant Warm Intro (GWI) to Adelaide in March 2026
GWI - Lowering the Barrier, Not the Bar - is Australia’s leading program connecting super ambitious early-stage founders with active investors. Since 2019, it has facilitated 1,200+ curated founder–investor meetings, supported $10M+ in tracked capital raised.
For SOUTHSTART 2026, we’re delivering a high-impact, 90-minute, in-person session that rethinks how founders and investors connect.
💡 What you can expect:
Curated founder–investor matching
A group-based, peer-driven format
Space to share your journey, ask questions, and get useful feedback
Proven outcomes beyond the room
❓ What you need to know
For people attending SOUTHSTART in Adelaide, March 17–19, 2026
In-person only (no remote session)
A limited number of sponsored tickets will be available
If you’re a high-conviction early-stage founder wanting to connect with investors who show up curious, engaged, and ready to add value, Apply now:
Applications are open!
Applications close midnight AEDT, Monday 16 February 2026 AEDT.
*Please note, finalists will be required to have a SOUTHSTART ticket but anyone can apply & scholarships are available to remove barriers to entry or DM us for a discount code.
It’s a well-known fact that women and founders of underrepresented groups receive only a tiny proportion of venture capital funding in Australia. In comparison, 22% of start-ups in Australia are founded by women, and only 7% secure venture capital funding.
In 2024, 87% of applicants identified as underrepresented founders, 38% as women, and 78.2% were at hyper-early stages. 92% would recommend GWI to others.
2000
Founder/investor meetings
38%
Women
87%
Underrepresented
Lowering the barrier, not the bar
Giant Warm Intro is a program that gives every pre-seed founder access to a warm introduction to Australia’s most prolific investors. We run A hybrid event every year.
Image courtesy of SOUTHSTART 2023
Connecting with active investors can be incredibly slow.
The barriers to just getting a meeting can be super high. That’s why we created the Giant Warm Intro (GWI), Australia’s leading program connecting early-stage founders with the most active investors in the country.
Over the past few years, GWI has facilitated thousands of friendly founder-investor meetings, resulting in millions of dollars in investment for startups that might otherwise never have met their lead investors.
GWI attracts the most ambitious and driven founders in the country and is an inclusive event, consistently attracting participation from underrepresented groups of 80% or more. GWI creates deep connections, not just introductions.
To amplify the underrepresented
While we encourage all AUSNZ technology founders to apply, we especially focus on welcoming women and other founders from underrepresented groups.
Image courtesy of SOUTHSTART 2023