Project F

What Project F does

Project F is a for-profit certified social enterprise headquartered in Sydney, Australia, founded in 2018 to address the underrepresentation of women in technology teams and leadership. The company partners with Australian technology organisations — ranging from startups to enterprises such as Google Australia, ABC, Art Processors, and Immutable — to design and embed sustainable gender equity practices through advisory services, organisational audits, inclusive hiring frameworks, and leadership development.

Its core product is the T-EDI Standards, described as Australia's first and only DEI accreditation designed specifically for technology teams, structured around ten standards (Hiring, Policies, Culture & Values, Performance Management, Leadership, SLT/Exec Leadership, Flexible Work, Paid Parental Leave, Pay Transparency, and Respect@Work) with three certification levels (Foundation, Advanced, Leading). Complementary products include the Startup Toolkit (frameworks and templates for early-stage companies), Pulse Check (a maturity assessment tool), the Inclusive Tech Tests Playbook, and a Menstrual Policy Template. A new Skill-Based Tech Hiring Program was added to the portfolio for 2026.

The business operates a hybrid revenue model: professional services revenue from consulting, advisory, and workshops is complemented by subscription/recurring revenue from the T-EDI Standards certification and Startup Toolkit. Go-to-market spans CEO-led direct enterprise sales, self-service digital products, content-led marketing through The F Word Blog, and a network of strategic partnerships with technology companies, women-in-tech communities, and reskilling providers. The company has not raised external capital, maintains a 1-10 person team, and operates exclusively within Australia.

Name

Project F

Legal name

Project F

Website

https://projectf.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Project F is a Sydney-based for-profit social enterprise that helps Australian technology organisations achieve gender-balanced teams and leadership through DEI advisory services, the T-EDI Standards accreditation framework, and the Startup Toolkit for early-stage companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

DEI Consulting and Accreditation Services

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights (BPADAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Access & EdTech for Equity (Low-cost Learning, Skills Platforms) (BPAGALAH), Safeguarding, Accountability & Compliance (ESG, Gender/GBV, Do No Harm) (BPADAEAM)

Keywords

• Gender equity consulting
• DEI accreditation services
• Diversity advisory
• Inclusive hiring frameworks
• Tech workforce consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting & Advisory Services: Strategic consulting engagements including leadership advisory, organisational audits, and designing inclusive hiring frameworks and interview processes for organisations seeking to improve gender diversity in technology teams.
2. T-EDI Standards Certification: Benchmarking and certification program for organisations seeking formal accreditation for gender equity and inclusion standards in technology teams. Includes self-assessments, action plans, and resources.
3. Startup Toolkit: Practical frameworks, templates and guidance sold to early-stage companies for hard-wiring inclusive hiring, fair pay and healthy team culture from the outset.
4. Events & Workshops: Facilitation of talks and workshops with leadership teams to build buy-in and capability around gender equity in technology.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Project F partners with organisations to design and embed sustainable gender equity in technology teams through strategic consulting engagements, organisational audits, and inclusive hiring framework design. The company sells proprietary benchmarking and certification tools, including the T-EDI Standards accreditation platform and the Startup Toolkit for early-stage companies, alongside facilitated leadership workshops and advisory services. Its offerings address systemic barriers to women's participation, advancement, and leadership within technology organisations across Australia.

Product overview

Project F is a for-profit social enterprise that offers a portfolio of advisory services and benchmarking tools for gender equity in technology. The core offerings include the T-EDI Standards (Australia's first DEI accreditation for tech teams), the Startup Toolkit (practical frameworks and templates for early-stage companies), and the Pulse Check (a DEI maturity assessment). These products work together to provide organisations with assessment, certification, practical tools, and ongoing advisory support for achieving sustainable gender-diverse technology teams.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• T-EDI Standards: Australia's first and only DEI accreditation designed specifically for technology teams, created and operated by Project F
• Startup Toolkit
• The F Word Blog

Products and services

• T-EDI Standards Australia's first and only DEI accreditation designed specifically for technology teams. It provides gender equity benchmarking and certification across ten defined standards (Hiring, Policies, Culture & Values, Performance Management, Leadership, SLT/Exec Leadership, Flexible Work, Paid Parental Leave, Pay Transparency, Respect@Work) and three certification levels (Foundation, Advanced, Leading). The platform includes self-assessments, action plans, and resources for organisations large and small to drive systemic gender diversity improvement.
• Startup Toolkit Practical toolkit providing founders with frameworks, templates, and guidance to hard-wire inclusive hiring, fair pay, and healthy team culture from day one. Designed for the pace and pressure of early-stage environments, helping startups avoid the structural mistakes that are expensive to fix later, and equipping founders to attract better talent, build trust with investors, and set the foundations for sustainable growth.
• Pulse Check A fast and simple assessment tool that helps organisations evaluate where they stand on Project F's Tech Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Maturity Scale. The output identifies areas of strength and improvement for gender diversity outcomes, providing a quick starting point before deeper engagement with the T-EDI Standards or advisory services.
• Gender Equity Advisory Services Strategic, data-driven consulting services provided as a trusted advisory to organisations across industries. Engagements include leadership advisory, organisational audits, design of inclusive hiring frameworks and interview processes, and facilitated talks and workshops with leadership teams to build buy-in and capability around gender equity in technology.
• Inclusive Tech Tests Playbook A free playbook covering the WHY, WHAT, and HOW of inclusivity in software engineering technical assessments. The playbook helps organisations reduce bias in hiring processes by providing practical guidance on designing inclusive technical tests for technology candidates.
• Menstrual Policy Template A downloadable workplace policy template designed to help organisations implement inclusive menstrual and menopause policies. Sold as a standalone downloadable resource targeting HR leaders and people-operations teams seeking to embed specific inclusive policies beyond broader DEI frameworks.

Quantifiable outcome

• T-EDI Standards deliver projected net annual return of AU$15.2 million for a model 3,000-person tech organisation
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Google AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership where Google Australia works with Project F to take a systemic approach to breaking down barriers within Google Australia. Anil Sabharwal, VP at Google, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership focused on meaningful change.
• ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoel Brydon, Head of Digital Product at ABC, credits Project F with helping the digital product team become 'the best we've ever been' through guidance on leadership capability and diverse, inclusive culture.
• Art ProcessorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology company that joined Project F in 2021 and achieved remarkable results: 39% reduction in employee turnover, 87% employee engagement, 51% female workforce, and 57% female executive team. Vanessa Doake, CPO, reports outstanding results in employee engagement, retention, and client growth.
• ImmutablecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlockchain technology company where Prabina Lord-Doyle, Global Head of Talent, describes working with Project F as a 'game-changer' for their talent acquisition and diversity initiatives.
• Search.iocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralian tech startup that used the Project F Startup Toolkit to build a diverse and equitable business environment. Founder Justin Koke credits Project F with playing a critical role in helping scale up and create an amazing team, contributing to their successful 2022 acquisition by Algolia.
• Holberton School AustraliasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Project F for reskilling programmes. Project F CEO Emma Jones participated in panel discussions at Holberton Demo Days in Melbourne, exploring diversity in tech and Australia's responsibility to re-skill its workforce.
• The F FactorsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen-in-tech network with highly active Slack channel. Project F collaborated with The F Factor to gather insights on how companies can ensure reskilling opportunities are accessible and appealing to women re-entering the workforce or shifting careers.
• Tech Leading LadiessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen-in-tech network with highly active Slack channel. Partnered with Project F to gather insights on accessible reskilling pathways for women balancing family responsibilities.
• Tech Council of AustraliasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry body working on digital skills and tech talent. Digital jobs growing at four times the rate of other sectors. Project F engages with the Council on STEM diversity and reskilling initiatives.
• REA GroupsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for Holberton School Demo Day where Project F CEO participated in panel discussions on diversity in tech. Ingrid Russell leads Early Career Development at REA Group.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Included: Included (formerly Paradigm) is a DEI strategy and SaaS platform that helps companies operationalise diversity, equity and inclusion programmes with measurement tools. It competes with Project F on the same enterprise buyers but bundles software, data, and advisory in a way that pressures boutique consultants like Project F.
• EDGE Certification: EDGE is the leading global gender-equality certification for organisations, providing assessment and accreditation across sectors. It is the closest analog to Project F's T-EDI Standards, with a similar 'certification-as-product' business model targeting enterprise buyers — competing for the same compliance-driven budgets.
• Allbright: Allbright is a women's professional network and learning/certification business that combines community, education, and corporate DEI programming. It targets a similar enterprise audience seeking to advance women in leadership and is a relevant peer on the gender-equity-in-business thesis.

Emerging players

• Women Who Code: Women Who Code is a global non-profit community supporting women in technology careers through programmes, events, and corporate partnerships. It targets the same pipeline-and-retention problem Project F addresses but through community and reskilling rather than certification and advisory.
• https://www.projectf.com.au/dev/color: /dev/color is a non-profit community focused on increasing the number of Black and Latinx software engineers and tech leaders. It overlaps with Project F's mission of broadening representation in tech teams and engages some of the same enterprise partners on DEI outcomes.

Regional players

• Diversity Council Australia (DCA): DCA is Australia's peak independent not-for-profit body on workplace diversity and inclusion, providing research, advisory and tools to Australian employers. It is the most direct Australian competitor in the DEI advisory and benchmarking space, with overlapping customer base but a non-commercial remit.

Broad incumbents

• Catalyst: Catalyst is a global non-profit providing research, advisory, and benchmarking on gender equity and inclusion in the workplace. It competes for enterprise DEI advisory and benchmarking budgets and overlaps with Project F's standards/certification value proposition, though at a global, broader category scope.
• Accenture (DEI Practice): Accenture's Inclusion & Diversity practice sells large-scale DEI transformation, training and measurement services to multinational enterprises. It competes with Project F for the same enterprise wallets but offers global delivery capability that a 1–10 person team cannot match.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ProjectF_au
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/projectfau
• Facebookfacebook.com/ThisIsProjectF

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Project F