We’re thrilled to launch Enterprising Women 4.0, our free business support programme for aspiring women founders, kindly funded by NatWest.

Enterprising Women is open to early-stage founders in the UK who identify as women or non-binary assigned female at birth with tech, tech-enabled or non-tech startups, business ideas or side hustles.

Over the course of 6-months, women founders will receive mentoring, coaching, workshops, business support and online training, along with introductions to a network of advisers and investors.

Since 2020, Enterprising Women has supported over 50 women businesses, with many innovations addressing society’s greatest channels including climate change, social inequality and online safety. These businesses have contributed an economic impact of £23 million and one startup, Hedira, has been acquired.

Graduates of Enterprising Women include Jack Fertility, the world’s first mail-in sperm test kit that offers lab-grade semen analysis results.

Lily Elsner, CEO and Co-founder of Jack Fertility said about the programme: “Of all of the accelerators and female founder support programmes that I have done in the world, the Enterprising Women programme is by far the best, and is the one that all other programmes should benchmark themselves against. The holistic support for both the founder and the business is unparalleled with a deep understanding of diversity within innovation and enterprises. I cannot recommend highly enough.”

Bobbi-Jo O’Gilvie, Co-founder of inclusive career platform Circe added: “There’s a plethora of support available, but to have a programme that’s tailored towards women, and in community with women is invaluable.”

Enterprising Women 4.0 will run from October 2024 to March 2025, concluding with a showcase and pitching event in Spring 2025 to recognise the awardees’ achievements.

If you would like to find out more about the programme, sign up to our launch event on Wednesday 12 June at Engine Shed from 12-2.30 pm.

Apply to Enterprising Women 4.0 by 31 July.

Find out more about diversity and inclusion at SETsquared Bristol.