Nurturing
human potential
Our vision is for an Australia where everyone can achieve their potential and contribute to our country—socially, culturally and economically.
Our Purpose
Australia is a prosperous nation. However, too many people experience disadvantage based on gender, ethnicity, or postcode, limiting potential and inhibiting our nation’s advancement.
Coaxial means ‘to connect on a common axis‘. We exist to connect capital, changemakers and communities to dismantle barriers and transform systems — enabling Australians to reach their potential.
Who we serve
Our focus includes children, women, First Nations, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people experiencing disadvantage, and those living in regional and rural settings.
Who we partner with
We cherish our partners and seek to empower and connect them. We partner with communities, changemakers, field workers, and those with lived experience.
Importantly, Coaxial seeks to create new partnerships between those closest to the problems and thought-leaders, forums of influence, venture capital, philanthropy, impact investors and advocates.
By harnessing the power of these partnerships, Coaxial will help move the dial on intractable problems and assist Australians facing disadvantage to shift their social trajectory.
About
Coaxial was founded by Nicola Forrest AO in 2023, to redistribute her wealth and drive positive social change for all Australians.
Coaxial is built on Nicola’s 30 years’ experience in philanthropy and business.
Coaxial consists of two entities — Coaxial Ventures and Coaxial Foundation. Working in unison they bring together venture capital, philanthropy, advocacy, government and local partners, establishing a powerful means to create maximum impact – unlocking the potential of Australians.
About
Coaxial was founded by Nicola Forrest AO in 2023, to redistribute her wealth and drive positive social change for all Australians.
Coaxial is built on Nicola’s 30 years’ experience in philanthropy and business, including Co-Founding Australia’s largest philanthropic organisation Minderoo Foundation and Co-Owning the country’s largest private equity firm Tattarang.
Coaxial consists of two entities — Coaxial Ventures and Coaxial Foundation. Working in unison they bring together venture capital, philanthropy, advocacy, government and local partners, establishing a powerful means to create maximum impact – unlocking the potential of Australians.
Our Approach
Community centred
Coaxial empowers communities, establishing genuine community collaborations, building capacity, and co-creating new opportunities for Australians to thrive.
Convene and connect
Coaxial connects diverse voices, experts and ideas to develop practical solutions that transcend traditional programs, sectors, siloes and boundaries. We believe in the power of storytelling to create shared understanding.
Change making
Beyond Government intervention, addressing the complex challenges facing many Australians requires more than business or philanthropy acting alone. Coaxial provides an axis around which philanthropy, social enterprise, impact investment, commercial investment, and novel financial funds can connect to drive change.
Values
Authentic
Collaborative—motivated by a genuine desire for social change. We bring honest intent, respect, and accountability to everything we do. We seek transparent relationships built on understanding, empathy and trust.
Committed
The change we seek to make is complex and we acknowledge lasting change will take time. We are focussed and here for the long haul, working alongside our partners with perseverance and optimism. We are committed to supporting our partners to achieve transformational outcomes in a timely and effective way.
Creative
Big challenges are met with imagination and joy as we co-create with our partners. Bold, new, pragmatic ideas motivate us as we support our partners in the pursuit of change. We are resourceful, nimble and think laterally—saying: ‘Yes and,’ rather than ‘Yes but’ to new ideas.
Collaborative—motivated by a genuine desire for social change.
We bring honest intent, respect, and accountability to everything we do.
We seek transparent relationships built on understanding, empathy and trust.
The change we seek to make is complex and we acknowledge lasting change will take time.
We are focussed and here for the long haul, working alongside our partners with perseverance and optimism.
We are committed to supporting our partners to achieve transformational outcomes in a timely and effective way.
Big challenges are met with imagination and joy as we co-create with our partners.
Bold, new, pragmatic ideas motivate us as we support our partners in the pursuit of change.
We are resourceful, nimble and think laterally—saying: ‘Yes and,’ rather than ‘Yes but’ to new ideas.
Roles
Enable
Working with changemakers to empower communities
Change-makers
Empowering those closest to the problem (leaders in communities). Providing support, resources and connections
Catalyse
Connecting and expanding resources and support networks for change-makers
Other founders
& Investors
Focused philanthropy that leverages significant additional funding and creates opportunities to achieve scale and systems change
Communities
Giving a voice to the voiceless. Research, evidence, data
Reform
Showcasing systems change on the ground and advocating for reform, new funding models, removing barriers
Governments
Access to and convening all levels of Government. Advocacy and lobbying
Convene
Using our global and Australian connections and ability to convene and access a network of powerful stakeholders
Coaxial Foundation
Our focus
The first five years of a child’s life are critical in setting their social trajectory and future life potential. All Australian children, particularly our most vulnerable deserve the best start in life to break cycles of intergenerational disadvantage. Coaxial Foundation is focused on practical evidence-based interventions for children experiencing systemic disadvantage, including the intersecting issues their families and community face.
Our approach
In addition to Coaxial’s approach principles, Coaxial Foundation is guided by the following pillars:
– Evidence led
Our work is evidence informed and data led. We seek to understand problems and lived experiences before we act. We are in favour of practical solutions and champion a ‘get the job done’ attitude. We have a bias to action rather than letting perfect be the enemy of good.
– Focussed for leverage
Coaxial makes substantial funding commitments to a select few, focused programs to enhance transformational outcomes and leverage bigger capital. We commit long-term and bring conviction and urgency to problems ripe for change.
– Impact at scale
Our passion is to shift economic power and drive positive social outcomes for all. To achieve enduring change requires proving that solutions can operate at scale. Scale requires diligent co-design, testing, learning and showcasing to prove new approaches are possible. This calls for Coaxial Foundation’s work to be both place-based and systems focused.
Coaxial Foundation
Our focus
In line with Coaxial’s focus on nurturing human potential – Coaxial Foundation’s first major program will address access to high quality early learning – given the foundational role it plays in supporting children’s development.
The first five years of a child’s life are critical in setting their social trajectory and future life potential. All Australian children, particularly our most vulnerable deserve the best start in life to break cycles of intergenerational disadvantage.
Coaxial Foundation is currently working to refine its program of work. Due to this, it is not currently accepting funding applications.
More information will be provided when Coaxial launches in 2025.
Project Oasis
Our first program of work — Project Oasis
Coaxial Foundation’s first program — Project Oasis — aims to boost the provision of high-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) in so called ‘childcare deserts’ nationwide.
Through a property investment fund, workforce solutions, supporting community and partner capacity and innovation and catalysing action through bringing critical partners together – Coaxial Foundation aims to establish these services as a platform to improve child development, social inclusion and employment outcomes for Australians living in lower socioeconomic, regional and rural locations.
This solution aims to provide up to 200 early learning services to communities and families most in need, nurturing a brighter future for Australian children, women and families.
Proposal
Project Oasis will deliver a coordinated set of actions to enhance high-quality ECEC provision across thin market communities in major cities, regional and rural communities
#1 Convening of collective action across Governments, partners and communities to establish services as trusted community hubs and fundamental children and family services platforms.
#2 Workforce enterprise enhances attraction, development and retention of ECEC staff in thin markets.
#3 Capacity & innovation grants support additional partner and community needs.
#4 Infrastructure fund finances the acquisition and development of early learning facilities – leasing to high quality, trusted service providers and attracting additional impact investors.
Coaxial Ventures
Coaxial Ventures exists to amplify Coaxial Foundation’s purpose and philanthropic goals.
To achieve this, our portfolio is diversified and innovative, and champions female led businesses.
We bring long term, patient capital and consider social returns equal to economic returns, with a clear aim to ensure future prosperity for individuals and communities.
Contact
For further information about Coaxial, or if you have any queries or interest in supporting us, please get in touch via our contact form and we will respond within two business days.