Meet the ventures shaping WA’s social enterprise future.
The WASEC 2026 Social Impact Incubator is a six-month program supporting Western Australian social entrepreneurs to build their ventures.
Following the success of the inaugaral Incubator in late 2025, this year’s program brings together founders, pairing them with mentors and a peer community to help turn their vision for change into a viable, lasting business.
This Incubator cohort spans idea stage through to scale-up, tackling everything from palliative care and neuro-inclusion to First Nations health access, sexual health education and community nutrition.
When selecting these participants from the wide variety of Incubator applications, the selection committee mentioned that what set these participants apart is their collective depth of experience – many of these founders have spent years, even entire careers, working alongside the communities their ventures are built to serve.
The program is already underway and across the next six months our participants will hear from an incredible lineup of guests, including Natalie Sangalli from Dress for Success Western Australia, Dr Kate Barrelle from STREAT, Steph Say from Homie, and more.
The WASEC team is excited to share with you the successful applicants who’ve landed a spot in this year’s cohort:
Haweya Ismail (Mud & Musk) – Haweya is building a community-driven platform for skincare education and ingredient transparency, championing ethical sourcing and sustainable consumption, called Mud & Mask.
Bex Philp (CareQuest Adventures) – CareQuest helps people with terminal illness safely access bucket-list outdoor adventures, with logistical and medical support built in.
Elizabeth Lang (Mane Caps) – Elizabeth is the founder of Mane Caps, inclusive swimming caps for textured and voluminous hair so more kids can take part in swimming, water safety and physical activity.
Lianda Gibson (Youth Affairs Council of WA) – Lianda is leading YACWA’s fee-for-service advisory arm, helping organisations build genuine youth participation while paying young people for their consulting expertise.
Belinda Shine (Cynergy App) – Belinda is developing a family wellbeing app helping tweens and their families build stronger brain health, connection and lifelong wellbeing habits.
Karen Winter (Pathwell) – Karen is translating Australian research into high-impact workshops, coaching and communication tools that tackle WA’s biggest social challenges.
Kathryn Stewart (Fern) – Kathryn makes nourishing food accessible and empowering for people rebuilding their lives after prison, refuges or rehabilitation.
Emily Kendall (All Minds Belong) – Emily is helping workplaces become genuinely neuro-inclusive through training, audits and coaching for organisations and their leaders.
Maya-Rose Chauhan (Select) – Maya-Rose is creating a socially engaged theatre space using verbatim theatre and photo voice to amplify the voices of people facing unstable housing and mental illness.
Carissa Parker (Perilune) – Perilune is an AI-powered companion platform founded by Carissa, supporting women through perimenopause and midlife, with a focus on under-served regional communities.
Indya Broughton (Rēhia Collective) – Making sexual health education and safe sex resources accessible, inclusive and affordable for young people of all genders and sexualities, Indya has founded the platform ‘Rehia Collective’.
Cheryl Millard (The Social Hermit) – Cheryl is running creative wellness groups that use art as a remedy for isolation, loneliness and mental health challenges.
Sharon Cooke (Mother-Baby Nurture) – Sharon is training health professionals to deliver a proven 10-week program that improves outcomes for newborns and their families.
Pia Hill (The Cariad Project) – Pia is teaching children the art of giving back through hands-on workshops where they create goods that are donated to people in need.
Ahmad Salahuddin & Jake Bamford (EduGaming Collective) – Ahmad & Jake are designing analog games that teach communities about environmental stewardship and sustainable materials.
Jenny Gleeson (Three Ducks Professional Organising Services) – Jenny runs a purpose-led decluttering business that creates employment pathways for women rebuilding their lives.
Neo Maphaka (Pharm HQ) – Pharm HQ connects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients with free medication packing and delivery through a network of partner pharmacies.
Crystal Mather (Nixi) – Crystal is exploring the creation of a social enterprise for Milligan Community Centre’s Nixi Families program, supporting young mums to build confidence, skills and pathways to employment.
We can’t wait to see what they build across the next few months (we will keep you posted with updates from their sessions on our LinkedIn).
To learn more about WASEC and our programs, visit wasec.org.au.