The 2026 Financial Review Rich Women List has officially landed, and the message is clear: the future of Australian wealth is being written in code. With a staggering combined fortune of $181 billion, this year’s list marks a pivotal shift, as self-made tech entrepreneurs lead the charge into a new era of innovation.
From AI-powered recruitment to global design dominance, these women are redefining what it means to be a tech leader in Australia.
The AI Trailblazers
Katrina Leslie | Swipejobs (No. 18) Taking the title of the highest-ranking debutante this year is Katrina Leslie. Her platform, Swipejobs, is a masterclass in using artificial intelligence for good. By using AI to match job seekers with roles that perfectly suit their skills, Leslie’s company generated a massive $1.3 billion in revenue in 2025. With a personal fortune of $2.5 billion, she is proof that AI-driven solutions are the ultimate wealth creators in the current market.
Melanie Perkins | Canva (No. 4) A perennial favourite at Women Love Tech, Melanie Perkins continues her ascent, climbing to the number four spot with a fortune of $8.7 billion. What’s most impressive is Canva’s “all-in” strategy on AI; the company has acquired five AI firms in the past year alone, ensuring that the design giant remains at the cutting edge of the creator economy.
Lauren Adlam | Zown (No. 48) New to the list, Lauren Adlam is proving that tech can be a force for education. She launched Zown, an AI-powered digital platform specifically designed for children. By focusing on creativity and safe learning environments, Adlam is carving out a vital niche in the “EdTech” space.
Melanie Perkins
The SaaS and Systems Queens
Sonia Stovell | Octopus Deploy (Debut) Proving that “boring” tech is often the most lucrative, Queenslander Sonia Stovell debuts with $319 million. As the co-founder of the deployment automation tool Octopus Deploy, she helped build a tech “unicorn” while raising three children—a true testament to the power of the female-led tech-and-life juggle.
Jessica Sepel | JSHealth (Wealth: $343 million) While often categorized as “wellness,” Jessica Sepel’s empire is built on a digital-first, data-driven model. Her expansion into the US and the global success of the JSHealth app shows how tech-enabled vitamins and community-building are driving the modern wellness boom.
Closing the Gender Gap
The data from this year’s list is incredibly encouraging for the next generation of girls in STEM. According to Kate Glazebrook of Blackbird, 61% of their new capital last year went to companies with at least one female founder.
“Female co-founded companies are about as likely to succeed as their all-male counterparts,” Glazebrook noted. As the “hoodie heirs” and AI architects on this list show, the glass ceiling in tech is being replaced by a digital sky with no limits.
WLT Note: It’s inspiring to see half of the new faces on this list are self-made entrepreneurs. Whether it’s through AI or retail tech, these women are paving the way for the STEM leaders of tomorrow.
