Octopus Deploy: Supporting the start of ‘the STEMM funnel’

For global software company Octopus Deploy, supporting Innovative Young Minds (IYM) is about more than sponsorship. It’s about helping more young women see themselves in STEMM — and giving them the confidence to take the first step.

Founded in Brisbane in 2011, Octopus Deploy builds tools that help teams deliver software across complex cloud and on-premise environments. With engineering teams spread across Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the Middle East, the company knows firsthand how important strong, diverse technical talent is to the future of the industry.

That’s why Octopus Deploy has supported IYM since 2024, funding places each year on IYM’s Residential programme to ensure more young women can access hands-on STEMM experiences they might not otherwise have.

The company’s Vice President of Engineering, Michael Noonan, says IYM plays a crucial role at what he describes as “the start of the funnel.”

“IYM is right at the beginning,” he says. “It’s where young women are first exposed to the real opportunities in STEMM — before they’ve made decisions about subjects, careers or whether they even belong in the sector.”

While IYM helps attract young women into STEMM pathways early, Octopus also supports another organisation that focuses on keeping that funnel open by supporting women who are already a few years into their STEMM careers to stay, grow and succeed.

By investing at both ends of the pipeline, Octopus Deploy is taking a long-term view — supporting future talent while helping ensure the industry remains sustainable, inclusive and innovative.

“We want to be good citizens of the industry,” Michael says. “If we don’t invest in young people now, we’re creating a problem for ourselves later.”

For IYM participants, that support translates into opportunity: access to the Residential programme, exposure to real-world STEMM careers, and the confidence to imagine a future they may never have considered.

And for Octopus Deploy, it’s a simple but powerful equation — support the start of the funnel, keep it flowing, and help more women build long, successful careers in STEMM.