Malaika Schmitz

Technology & Software

Australia

Malaika Schmitz is the founder of FloodConnect, a flood-preparation venture focused on tailored flood preparation, personal guidance and community connection. A student of UNSW Business School, she took first place in the UNSW Founders New Wave Program 2025, the university's women-focused startup program, where her work earned a $7,500 equity-free grant sponsored by Westpac. She has also received a DAAD scholarship for master's studies and joined Amaranth Advisory as a Founders Associate, working from the Berlin Metropolitan Area.

Malaika describes her background as spanning Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship, with experience across private equity, banking and high-growth startups. That mix of commercial and entrepreneurial experience informs how she approaches building FloodConnect.

At the heart of her work is a clear conviction. Malaika built FloodConnect on the belief that tailored flood preparation, personal guidance and strong community connection keep people safe when every second counts. She credits Melanie Portelli of Westpac with supporting the opportunity and FloodConnect's vision, and describes the prize money as the fuel FloodConnect needed to keep going.