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A SERVICE placing refugees in internships, an app offering emotional support for carers and a platform that encourages young people to vote are among the social enterprises participating in Two Feet.
The Difference Incubator (TDi) has selected 18 startups from Sydney and across Queensland to join the six-month social enterprise program.
The Melbourne-based incubator cast its net wider for emerging businesses with a social or environmental mission last month.
TDi head of business development and programs Ishani Chattopadhyay says the positive response from participants in Melbourne led to the interstate expansion.
"The interest from Sydney and Queensland has proven to be just as noteworthy with a diverse range of social enterprises jumping on board the Two Feet journey," Chattopadhyay says.
"The nine social enterprises in Sydney range from tech platforms to help refugees settle into their new country to Australia's first non-partisan social enterprise passionate about increasing youth voter participation and political engagement.
"In Queensland, our original plan was to run workshops in Brisbane only. But once we took a peek at the innovation ecosystem, we realised there was a pipeline of enterprises doing amazing work on the coast.
"Queensland participants include a remarkable business that connects socially isolated people with RSPCA animals who are waiting to be adopted, and an innovative tech platform created by a stay-at-home mum that builds an online community to promote and facilitate no waste and sharing of harvest."
The startups will learn how to become more investable with information sessions about branding, finance, marketing, governance and how to pitch.
Two Feet sessions launched in Sydney earlier this week, while Queensland sessions will alternate between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.
Two Feet Sydney participants include:
Mazi Mas: pop-up restaurant employing migrant and refugee women.
Refugee Intern: connects skilled refugees with companies offering internships.
One Can Grow: promotes a socially conscious approach to success among young adults.
Y Vote: increases youth voter participation and political engagement.
YEVU: addresses urban poverty by empowering micro-enterprises in Ghana.
Offerbots: provides consumer choice by breaking through the Google and Facebook oligopoly.
The Textile Project: entrepreneurial opportunities for Indigenous elders in the Northern Territory.
Feedworld: travel business that works with the homeless.
SettleIn: gives refugees a head-start on life in Australia.
Two Feet Queensland participants include:
Wellthy: wellness and financial planning for women.
Happy Paws Happy Hearts Foundation: connects socially isolated people with RSPCA animals.
BE Enterprise: helps leaders develop an engaged workforce.
Spare Harvest: online community to promote no waste and facilitate sharing.
Champion Edge: help kids make sport and physical activity a lifelong habit.
Gifts4Good: donates online shopping payments to good causes.
Careable: emotional support app for carers.
Suncare: community responses for aged care and people with a disability.
Nora's Plantation Foods: produces food from Samoa for customers across the world.
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