Innovative entrepreneur Stephanie Bofinger is revolutionising safety equipment for women in high-impact environments, addressing a critical gap in protective gear designed specifically for women’s bodies.

The Queensland-based company develops specialised protective equipment for women in impact sports, Defence Force, healthcare, and insurance sectors.

“Basically, we just want to create a world where falling is much safer to do,” said Stephanie Bofinger, Founder and CEO of FemPro Armour. “Our gear focuses on safety, comfort, and performance—three elements that shouldn’t be compromised for women.”

The innovative safety equipment designer discovered this market gap during an unexpected career shift that took her far from her previous profession.

“I rode into the Simpson Desert after owning a day spa for 20 years. I had absolutely no idea about body armour,” said Stephanie.

Rather than accept this reality, Stephanie embraced the challenge of creating something better, pushing against industry norms.

“I had about 50 manufacturers tell me that what I wanted was not possible. For me, ‘not possible’ is not an option,” said Stephanie. “I started researching, looking at reviews, university papers, and videos until I found a manufacturer willing to try.”

FemPro Armour has already made significant impact through custom solutions that address unique safety needs for both women and men.

“We redesigned chest armour for a martial artist with a specific need, extending the armour to protect a growth under his sternum,” said Stephanie. “Our approach is about solving problems that traditional equipment manufacturers have overlooked.”

You’re a manufacturer if you produce your own fashion brand in your garage and then put it online,” said Stephanie. “I think that’s where a lot of people go wrong about what manufacturing is.”

For women entering the manufacturing sector, Stephanie believes mindset is as crucial as technical skill.

“It comes down to confidence and believing you have the same right to be in that space as anyone else,” said Stephanie. “If you come across people that you want to do business with, you need to be confident and strong in your own self-belief.”

Her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs emphasises the importance of resilience and authenticity on the path to innovation.

“You need to fail so that you can have the opportunity to learn and to grow. Anyone going into entrepreneurship or manufacturing can’t be afraid of doing the wrong thing,” said Stephanie. “The more people that show up as their authentic self, the more others around you can learn and grow.”

By creating protective gear that truly works for women’s bodies, FemPro Armour is not just manufacturing products—they’re engineering greater safety, inclusion, and opportunity in spaces where women have traditionally been underserved.