Pitches From The ygap First Gens 2020 Cohort


The First Gens program supports the most ambitious, game-changing impact ventures led by migrants and refugees that are improving the lives of people living in disadvantage in Australia. 

Australia’s first compostable straw, a social enterprise cafe, a storytelling agency, an online marketplace for social enterprises were among the twelve ventures that were selected for the ygap First Gens 2020 cohort, in our first ever virtual accelerator program.

Instead of holding a face to face Demo Day to finish the program, we decided to change format, asking ventures to instead provide a pitch in video form; a resource they can continue to use into the future, and a more accessible way to culminate the program (Head here for more on why we’re rethinking Demo Days).

We’d like to congratulate these ventures for being resilient, brave and for staying the course during an especially challenging and uncertain year. Below are the video pitches from the 2020 cohort of First Gens so you can hear about the ventures and be inspired by the work they are doing, just like we have been.

You can also show your support by following them on their socials, telling others about their work, or connecting them to a potential customer, investor or supporter.


Watch the pitch videos below:

Marion Vigot, Mister Rye

Cynthia Wong, Empower2Free


Niv Avtar, Dinidae

Hawanatu Bangura, Mahawa Creative


Mateo Palacio Gomez and Haidar Alfallouji, Charity Bay

Jackie Colmar and Tracey Martinovich, Enso


Louisa Ong, Tilegne Therapy

Jack Wu, Tiny Tutors


Minerva Jimenez, Minjums

Belle To, The Impact Stylist


Layana Franco, Swap-a-Porter


For more information on First Gens, please contact: Kim Nguyen (First Gens program coordinator) at kim.nguyen@ygap.org.