KYUP! Project

What KYUP! Project does

KYUP! Project is an Australian not-for-profit organisation founded in 2013 by Mel Thomas that delivers evidence-based violence prevention and empowerment workshops for teens, young women, families, and corporate audiences across Australia and New Zealand. The core product portfolio comprises four in-person workshop formats — School Workshops (self-worth and self-defence education, including 6-week and 8-week programs), Corporate Workshops branded as 'Stronger Than You Think' (60-120 minute team-building sessions), Community Workshops (Mums and Daughters, Dads and Daughters, shelter-based trauma-informed sessions), and the Schoolies Prepared Not Scared public safety workshop — supplemented by a referral resource hub and branded merchandise. The underlying methodology, described as integrating expertise in policing, education, martial arts, and psychology, is delivered by trained facilitators led by the founder, not via any proprietary digital platform; no software, app, or API is described.

The organisation operates a hybrid revenue model combining quote-based workshop fees from schools, corporates, and community organisations (the professional services stream), donations and fundraising campaigns via Raisely (Coffee for a Cause 2025-26 and the KYUP! Outreach Program), and merchandise sales. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; bookings are processed via email ([email protected], [email protected]) and website contact forms, with public ticketed events routed through Humanitix and Eventbrite. Customer segments span primary and secondary schools, universities (e.g., Macquarie University), local councils (Northern Beaches, Bayside, Cronulla), corporates (Scentre Group/Westfield, Manly Rugby, Quick Select), and domestic violence shelters. Strategic go-to-market is community-led, amplified by tiered partnerships with NSW State Government, PCYC, NSW Police, and a corporate-services backbone (Johnson Winter Slattery, Camphin Boston, Seek&Design, SMAI, 2GB), plus earned media across ABC, SBS, Sydney Morning Herald, Marie Claire, and Business Chicks.

Name

KYUP! Project

Legal name

KYUP! Project

Website

https://kyupproject.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

KYUP! Project is an Australian not-for-profit, founded in 2013, that delivers in-person violence prevention and empowerment workshops to schools, corporates, communities, and domestic violence shelters across Australia and New Zealand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Violence Prevention Education

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Student Wellness & Prevention Programs (Substance Use, Sexual Health, Bullying) (EDAJAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Crisis Response & Threat Assessment (Suicide Prevention, Violence Prevention) (EDAJAIAH), Trauma-Informed Care & Crisis Response (School-Based) (EDAKAMAF), Safeguarding, Child Protection & Reporting Services (EDAJAIAD)

Keywords

• Violence prevention workshops
• Self-defence education
• Empowerment programs
• Youth safety training
• Domestic violence prevention

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Workshop fees: KYUP! Project generates revenue through fee-for-service workshops delivered to schools, universities, corporates, and community organisations. Workshop formats include one-off sessions (60-120 minutes for corporate 'Stronger than you think') and multi-week programs (e.g., 6-week and 8-week programs at schools). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.
2. Donations and fundraising: The organisation accepts donations via its Raisely donation pages (Coffee for a Cause 2025-26, KYUP! Project Outreach Program). Donations fund trauma-informed prevention education for victims of domestic and family violence.
3. Merchandise sales: KYUP! Project sells merchandise including hoodies. Competitions such as 'Design a Hoodie and Win' also serve as engagement and brand-building mechanisms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

KYUP! Project delivers in-person violence prevention and empowerment workshops for schools, corporates, and community groups across Australia and New Zealand. Programs focus on building self-worth, practical self-defence skills, and bystander intervention, ranging from one-off 60-120 minute corporate sessions to 6-week and 8-week school programs. The organisation also runs ticketed public workshops, accepts donations to fund trauma-informed education for domestic violence victims, and sells branded merchandise.

Product overview

KYUP! Project is a not-for-profit organisation offering violence prevention and empowerment workshops for teens and young women across Australia and New Zealand. The core product portfolio consists of four workshop programs: School Workshops (violence prevention education in educational settings), Corporate Workshops branded as 'Stronger Than You Think' (workplace empowerment training), Community Workshops including Mums and Daughters and Dads and Daughters programs (family-focused workshops), and the Schoolies Prepared Not Scared workshop (safety training for school leavers). Supporting services include the KYUP! Outreach Program (trauma-informed education for domestic violence victims), Referral Services (resource hub connecting users to external support organisations), and Merchandise (branded apparel). The organisation was founded in 2013 and has delivered workshops to over 10,000 participants across schools, universities, corporates, and community groups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• School Workshops Violence prevention and empowerment workshops delivered in schools, focused on building self-worth and self-defence skills for students. Formats range from one-off sessions to multi-week 6-week and 8-week programs addressing bullying, consent, and ethical bystander intervention.
• Corporate Workshops (Stronger Than You Think)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 10,000 young Australians and New Zealanders empowered since 2013
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, supporting and core.

• CISO LensminorOthers · 1 January 2024CISO Lens is the premier information sharing and analysis community for cyber security executives from the largest organisations in Australia and New Zealand. They have supported KYUP! Project since 2024.
• 2GB (Continuous Call Team)supportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20222GB's Continuous Call Team has been supporting KYUP! since 2022 during the NRL Season, airing radio advertisements to promote the organisation to listeners.
• Camphin BostonsupportingOthers · 1 January 2019Camphin Boston is an accounting firm with over 30 years of experience in accounting, taxation, and auditing in Sydney, Australia. They have proudly supported KYUP! Project as Accounting Partner since 2019.
• Johnson Winter SlatterysupportingOthers · 1 January 2018Johnson Winter Slattery is a major Australian and international corporate law firm acting as KYUP! Project's Legal Partner since 2018. They provide legal counsel and support on business activities and governance matters.
• Australian Hapkido AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014The Australian Hapkido Association was founded in 1979 by Grandmaster Sung Su Kim and maintains strong Korean martial arts ties. AHA is a martial arts partner of KYUP!, having proudly supported the organisation since 2014. The partnership provides martial arts expertise and credibility to KYUP!'s self-defence curriculum.
• Seek&DesigncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2012Seek&Design is a strategic design firm helping brands create meaningful customer relationships and deliver brand experiences. Founded by board member Glenn Chandler, they have proudly supported KYUP! Project since 2012 — providing brand identity, design, and marketing support from the earliest stage of the organisation.
• SMAIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMAI has been inspiring athletes worldwide since 1985. For the past 2 years (at time of listing), SMAI has donated specialty martial arts break boards used in Australian schools to empower young Australians to break the cycle of domestic violence. SMAI is the Principal Partner of KYUP! Project.
• Secure AgilityminorOthersSecure Agility is a modern managed service provider (MSP) helping organisations deliver real transformation and take advantage of emerging technologies. Listed as a Corporate Partner of KYUP! Project.
• NSW State GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKYUP! Project has a vital partnership with the NSW State Government, leveraging government expertise and resources to tackle violence at grassroots level.
• PCYC (Police Citizens Youth Clubs)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPCYC is a vital partner of KYUP! Project, allowing workshops to be delivered through PCYC's community club network across NSW. KYUP! also delivers programs at PCYC St George ('Fit For Change Program').
• NSW PolicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNSW Police is a vital partner of KYUP! Project, contributing policing expertise to the development of violence prevention programs. Board member John Yates QPM is a former UK police officer and country's most senior counter-terrorism officer, bringing law enforcement insight.
• Northern Beaches CouncilsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorthern Beaches Council has partnered with KYUP! to deliver Mums and Daughters workshops to the local community, and their youth program (KALOF) has supported KYUP! workshops.
• Bayside CouncilsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBayside Council partnered with KYUP! Project to deliver a Mums and Daughters Self-Worth and Self-Protection Life Skills Workshop in 2025.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Our Watch: Australia's national primary prevention agency for violence against women, delivering school- and community-based prevention education and respectful relationships curricula. Direct competitor for government contracts and school workshop bookings in the same problem space as KYUP!.
• Full Stop Australia: National domestic, family, and sexual violence service organization providing education, training, and primary prevention programs. Overlaps with KYUP! on violence prevention workshops delivered to schools and community groups.
• The Man Cave: Australian not-for-profit running boys' empowerment and gender equality workshops in schools, focused on respectful relationships and healthy masculinity. Closely comparable model — school-based, facilitator-led, prevention-focused — and a natural adjacent peer.
• batyr: Not-for-profit delivering mental health prevention and stigma-reduction programs in schools and workplaces using lived-experience speakers. Comparable to KYUP! on facilitator-led, school-targeted prevention education with strong founder/ambassador model.
• Bravehearts: Australia's leading child sexual assault prevention organization, delivering school-based child protection and personal safety education. Comparable to KYUP! on school-based child safety curricula and instructor-led delivery model.
• Ysafe: Youth-led organization focused on technology-facilitated abuse, image-based abuse, and youth advocacy in relationships. Comparable to KYUP!'s Outreach Program on trauma-informed prevention education for young people affected by violence.

Broad incumbents

• headspace: National youth mental health foundation providing clinical services, education, and early-intervention programs for 12–25 year olds. Significantly larger in scale; comparable on youth-targeted wellbeing and prevention education topics.
• ReachOut Australia: Australia's leading online youth mental health service, providing digital education and self-help resources to teens. Serves overlapping youth audiences and topics (self-worth, bullying, safety) but through digital rather than in-person delivery.

Others

• PCYC (Police Citizens Youth Clubs NSW): A current KYUP! delivery partner, PCYC operates community youth clubs across NSW and hosts KYUP!'s 'Fit For Change Program.' Included as a peer because it is both a channel partner and a comparable youth-services organization operating in overlapping geographies.

Emerging players

• Roses in the Ocean: National lived-experience-led suicide prevention organization delivering training and education across communities. Closely analogous operating model to KYUP! (founder-led, peer-driven, education-focused nonprofit) in a related but distinct prevention vertical.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kyupproject
• Facebookfacebook.com/kyupproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kyup-project
• Instagraminstagram.com/kyupproject/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 KYUP! Project