Beauty brand creating game-changing accessible makeup tools wins $30,000 in Kickstarter Challenge

Storm Menzies has won $30,000 in equity-free funding at a Shark Tank-style event in Canberra, designed to uncover the country’s up-and-coming female founders.

• The NSW founder behind ByStorm Beauty impressed the judges with her snap-on grips to make products such as nail polish and brushes more accessible.

• The Kickstarter Challenge is an initiative of Enterprising ME, an Australian Government-funded program designed to support and empower women aged 18 and over to pursue entrepreneurship.

• Four runners-up took home $7,500 for their start-ups at the Grand Final at Parliament House.

Thursday, November 20: A NSW woman on a mission to tear down barriers in the beauty industry for people with disabilities has won $30,000 in equity-free funding for her business at the Kickstarter Challenge Grand Final in Canberra today.

ByStorm Beauty is the brainchild of disability worker and female founder Storm Menzies, who started the business after injuring her dominant hand in 2023 and realised she couldn’t open a tube of mascara - let alone apply it.

Menzies, from Newcastle, has limited function in her right hand after experiencing a stroke at birth, and was confronted by “just how inaccessible the beauty world was”, from hard-to-open packaging, to the application of products that demand fi ne motor skills.

She said she realised millions of people had been “overlooked” by beauty brands, and wanted to reshape industry standards “to embrace inclusivity and accessibility” - particularly those facing challenges with upper limb mobility, grip strength, or fi ne motor skills.

So she set about crafting initial designs and prototypes for the silicone snap-on grips in her garage.

“ByStorm's commitment to inclusivity goes beyond functional products; it is about igniting a cultural shift within the beauty industry to value diversity and challenge long-standing norms,” she said.

“At the heart of ByStorm is the vision of a beauty industry where no one is sidelined.”

The pioneering products have already captured the attention of well-known comedian Celeste Barber, who is collaborating with ByStorm Beauty for her label Booie Beauty.

Menzies said winning the Kickstarter Challenge would help take her business to the next level, including employing people with disability to ensure the brand continues to be shaped by the community.

“This isn’t just a win for Bystorm, it’s a signal to the entire industry that disability-led innovation is worthy of investment, that people with disability are worthy of investment beyond charity,” Menzies said.

“When we back underrepresented founders and communities, we don’t just tick boxes. We shift the standard for the industry and give representation for every little girl watching, of what is possible.”

She entered the Kickstarter Challenge in the health, wellbeing and care economy category, and said it had reinforced her belief that inclusive design is “not a niche concept but a necessity”.

“Real inclusion starts when we stop treating accessibility as compliance and start seeing it as the future of business,” she said.

The four runners-up each won $7,500 to put toward their startups after competing in fi ve categories:

• Community Impact: PlayPass - Shehara Pillai (Melbourne)

• Education: Elevated Educators - Lisa Cohen & Lianne Kady (Melbourne)

• Environment and Sustainability: CO2 Lab - Lindy Hua (Sydney)

• Technology: Superstat - Cordelia King (Melbourne)

The Kickstarter Challenge is an initiative of Enterprising ME, a program designed to support and empower Australian women aged 18+ to pursue entrepreneurship.

The Governor-General of Australia, Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC, delivered an address and announced the 2025 Kickstarter Challenge winner.

She pledged to “take the stories I hear here all around the country”.

“Your passion, determination and talent bring you to this Grand Final,” she said.

“I’ve seen the progress we’ve made when we come together and amplify care, and that’s what these projects seek to do. I’ll come back every year that I’m the Governor-General.”

Enterprising ME director Fleur Anderson said initiatives such as the Kickstarter Challenge were crucial to addressing the investment drought for female entrepreneurs, and showcased their massive potential to contribute to economic growth and innovation.

In 2024, only 15 per cent of start-up funding went to teams with one female founder, and just 2 per cent to female-only founders, figures show.

A recent Enterprising ME research report found financial barriers, uncertainty and self-doubt continued to hold women back, underscoring the need for support, mentorship and better access to funding.

“We are thrilled to announce Storm as our 2025 Kickstarter Challenge winner, and we look forward to seeing ByStorm continue to flourish,” she said.

“Her vision and determination exemplify the strength of female entrepreneurs. The record number of entries this year sends a powerful message: women are eager to innovate, to solve real problems, and to create meaningful change.”

The program is delivered in partnership with the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA).

COSBOA Deputy Chair Christine Pope said: “In just five years, the Kickstarter Challenge has grown into one of the nation's most important competitions for emerging female founders," she said.

"Not only did we recognise five outstanding finalists this year, but we celebrated an Enterprising Girl of the Year, and made strides towards the future with the launch of Carla — one of Australia’s first AI mentors built specifically for women in business.

"This year was on track to be one of the toughest for investment in female founders, but we’re working to ensure women have the confidence, capability and momentum they need to drive the next wave of entrepreneurial growth."

Media contact: Elissa Doherty, 0409 994 433, elissa@89degreeseast.com.

About the Kickstarter Challenge

The 2025 Kickstarter Challenge, launched in July, is the culmination of a series of Female Founder Festivals across the country throughout the year.

The Grand Final event is proudly supported by sponsors including CommBank, SmartCompany, Lonsdale St. Studio, Go-To Skincare and Cyber Wardens.

Open to all women in Australia aged 18 and over who have a business or entrepreneurial idea, the Kickstarter Challenge is a competition to support women entrepreneurs looking to take their business ideas to the next stage.

About the four runners-up:

Environment and sustainability:

CO2 Lab - Lindy Hua

An ‘AI sustainability analyst’ making emissions reporting faster and cheaper for organisations.

Education:

Elevated Educators - Lisa Cohen & Lianne Kady

Support teacher wellbeing and classroom management through practical, evidence-based tools including online learning, live coaching, and school workshops.

Community impact:

PlayPass - Shehara Pillai

A tool to transform how parents discover activities for children under fi ve and help providers connect with families.

Technology:

Superstat - Cordelia King

An AI-powered sports analytics platform that automatically turns match footage into advanced player stats and highlights.