Female founders in the UK looking to scale their businesses can now compete for a substantial support package, including financial aid and mentorship, thanks to a new initiative.
The Female Founders Competition is a collaborative effort designed to empower female entrepreneurs. This initiative pairs the professional expertise of a freelance marketplace with the support of a not-for-profit organisation. Any female founder in the UK is eligible to enter, with four finalists set to be paired with top female business mentors for a six-week period. These mentors are highly accomplished in their respective fields and include Julie Waddell, the founder of Moorish Dips, and Elsie Rutterford, founder of a vegan skincare brand.
During this mentorship period, each finalist will receive £3,000 to invest in resources to build their business ideas. The competition culminates with the finalists presenting their business growth plans to an experienced all-female judging panel in London on 13 November. The winner will receive an additional £15,000 in support and a year’s free membership to an entrepreneurial digital community offering various resources, including one-on-one mentoring and courses.
Holly Branson, a prominent figure in the business community and a judge for the competition, has expressed her enthusiasm for the initiative. She stated, “Championing female founders is something we’re really passionate about, and this competition is a fantastic opportunity for female founders to connect, access valuable mentorship and receive financial support so they can take their business to the next level. I can’t wait to meet the finalists and hear more about their journeys so far and their dreams to build successful businesses that will fuel the UK entrepreneurial economy for years to come!”
Last year, the competition saw over 700 entries and was ultimately won by Anna Moynihan, the co-founder of an online booking platform for tradeswomen. Moynihan’s business, which she set up with her husband, addressed gender biases in the trade industry. Reflecting on the impact of the competition, Moynihan highlighted the significant growth and development her business experienced, stating, “It’s been an exciting year for TaskHer. The competition prize has proved invaluable when growing our business, giving us the opportunity to do things like experiment with AI, re-design our website, up our SEO game, improve our product user experience and create a library of content for our paid socials. Being able to hand projects to freelancers with specialist skills has massively freed up our time meaning we can focus on other areas of our business. We’re now raising seed funding for TaskHer’s next growth phase and we know we will be able to rely on freelancers to support us in both our fundraise and growth.”
The competition organisers have expressed their excitement for this year’s event and the potential it holds for the UK’s innovative and forward-thinking female entrepreneurs. The support provided, especially the access to highly skilled freelance talent, aims to significantly elevate the offerings of this year’s winner.
The Female Founders Competition represents a significant opportunity for UK-based female entrepreneurs to obtain both financial support and expert mentorship to advance their business ideas.