Maven PR founder Sophie Muir has launched a new marketing and communications agency incubator and accelerator, Muir Ventures, designed to support female entrepreneurs within industry.

The business aims to increase women's representation in leadership roles by launching and scaling female-founded agencies, offering funding, mentorship, and resources to assist female founders in launching new agencies or expanding existing ones. Muir Ventures will collaborate with agencies across various marketing sectors, including Public Relations, Social Media, Influencer Marketing, Content Production, Experiential and Events, Public Affairs, and Advertising.

Muir Ventures has established four core programs: Agency Builder, Momentum, Mentorship & Advisory, and Turnaround & Transformation. These programs are intended to facilitate the launch, growth, or transformation of 10 to 12 agencies annually, with a focus on sustainability, profitability, and leadership development.

"Muir Ventures believes in the massive potential of Australia’s female marketing entrepreneurs and has been created to support them to launch and grow their agencies. Women have been historically under-represented at leadership levels in business, so Muir Ventures seeks to address this," said Muir

The initiative is set against the backdrop of a marketing industry where women have been traditionally under-represented at leadership levels. Muir Ventures seeks to address this imbalance by providing a platform for women to lead and influence the industry.

Muir added, "We want to see more women at the helm of agencies, owning their impact, shaping culture, and running high-performance businesses that reflect their values and their vision. As we know, the gender pay gap is still alive and well in many agencies, so many women are going out on their own to address their own earning potential. This isn’t just about fixing a gap. It’s about fuelling an industry-wide evolution led by women," said Muir.

The organisation's initial goal is to help launch, grow, or transform 10 to 12 agencies each year. This objective is part of a broader strategy to promote sustainability, profitability, and leadership development within female-led agencies.