We are thrilled to announce that Gradcut has been accepted into The Ascent Project, a prestigious initiative by Fishburners and Westpac dedicated to increasing the representation of female founders in the startup ecosystem.
The Ascent Project is a groundbreaking program powered by Fishburners and sponsored by Westpac, specifically designed to empower female founders in the startup world. With a mission to boost inclusivity and representation, the project aims to establish these values as enduring pillars in the startup ecosystem. The program reflects a commitment not just to inspire change, but to actively build a more diverse and inclusive future for the business community.
Westpac Business Lending has shown a strong commitment to promoting financial inclusion and removing barriers for all business founders, especially women. In March 2023, Westpac introduced new measures to help small businesses start and grow, including a $500 million commitment to support more women in business. According to Westpac research, 51% of women plan to apply for finance to support short to medium-business growth, yet women find it harder to access finance compared to men. This initiative is a crucial step in addressing these disparities and empowering female entrepreneurs to succeed.
“It cannot be overstated how important programs like The Ascent Project are at a time when programs like Boosting Female Founders are ending, and we are excited to be a part of it” – says Anastasha Renaud, the founder of Gradcut.
Gradcut utilises Edit on the Spot technology to edit graduation live-stream and delivers branded video clips to graduates within an hour of graduation, just click and download, like a photo.
The key advantage of Gradcut lies in its ability to deliver branded video clips to graduates within 1 hour of the ceremony. This rapid turnaround enables graduates to download and share their videos while the excitement is fresh. Gradcut also benefits universities by enhancing their brand visibility, as videos are shared on social media, amplifying the institution’s presence.
Gradcut was launched in May and tested by the University of Sydney and was a great success, with over 50,000 video clips being delivered individually to 8,500 graduates. One of the big challenges Gradcut addressed was ensuring the technology could handle a large volume of data in real-time. Gradcut’s AI-powered system successfully met these challenges, ensuring each video was edited with the correct student footage, enhanced with the university’s branding, and delivered within just one hour of the ceremony. It not only processes the immense volume of live-stream footage but also maintains impeccable accuracy and speed in delivering personalised clips.
With an emphasis on social responsibility, Gradcut is not only bringing innovation to graduation ceremonies but also contributing to educational equity. Through its commitment to donating a portion of profits to student scholarships and supporting educational programs in developing regions, Gradcut combines technological innovation with a strong social mission.
Now, with the support of The Ascent Project, Gradcut is well-positioned to expand its reach to more universities, high schools, and colleges, bringing real-time personalised video delivery to graduation ceremonies worldwide.
