It’s time for women to pitch themselves
Female entrepreneurs in Ayrshire are being urged to consider putting themselves and their businesses forward for Scotland’s only pitch competition for business women.
The 2017 AccelerateHER Awards are open to entrepreneurial women- led businesses in Ayrshire and other parts of Scotland.
The competition gives participants an ideal platform for attracting business angel investment with at least two finalists securing a trip to California next April.
Based on the unprecedented success of the inaugural AccelerateHER Awards, staged earlier in 2016, this is the second year the Scottish- based business angel group Investing Women have run the initiative.
The winners also benefit through access to US and wider international market opportunities and will be directly connected with potential financiers from across the globe who are gathering at a summit of investors in San Francisco.
Entrants will initially be asked to submit a video pitch via the Investing Women’s website outlining their business, its ambitions, growth plans and investor potential.
All those who register will access free professional pitch advice and webinar training, with the finalists also accessing 1: 1 coaching to harness their creativity and improve their presentation style.
A panel of highly experienced judges will then review the submissions and draw up a shortlist of 12 entrants who will present to a panel at the end of February 2017.
From there six participants will be invited to the Investing Women Ambition and Growth conference in Edinburgh on March 9, 2017 where they will make their pitch to an audience comprised of some of the country’s most successful business leaders.
The awards will also recognise early stage and new start entrepreneurs with ambition by awarding free conference and awards dinner tickets to multiple winners.
Further information on the 2017 AccelerateHER Awards is available at: www. investingwomen. co. uk/ 2017entries and the deadline for entries is January 31, 2017.
Alex Feechan, CEO of sportswear firm Findra, was a finalist at the 2016 AccelerateHER Awards and credits it as helping her business progress.
Her company, which designs, manufactures and sells bikewear and outdoor apparel for women, has since gone on to secure £ 200,000 in angel investment from TriCap and Investing Women.
The Innerleithen- based business, which currently employs seven people, has doubled its turnover in the past year, increased its wholesale customer base and will open its first retail premises in the Scottish Borders town in early 2017.