Women’s start-up project launched
Anew project to encourage hundreds of women from across Wales to start their own businesses has officially launched in the capital today.
Future Female Founders, a collaboration between Chwarae Teg, NatWest and Simply Do Ideas, was unveiled by Alison Rose, CEO, NatWest and Robert Begbie, CEO, NatWest Markets at the bank’s accelerator hub in Cardiff.
A recent report produced by Ms Rose and the UK Government into the value of female entrepreneurship found that there was much work to be done to tackle the gender gap in business start-ups, which if filled could add up to £250bn to the UK economy.
Among other striking imbalances, the report also highlighted the fact that only one in three UK entrepreneurs are female: a gender gap equivalent to 1.1m missing businesses.
The project will see gender equality charity, Chwarae Teg running four events across Wales in the coming months for would-be female entrepreneurs. At each, women will have access to workshops designed to build confidence, training and provide advice on topics ranging from writing business plans to sourcing funding.
Full details of the first two events, which will be held on April 24 on Anglesey and on May 15 in Wrexham, will be promoted later in March.
An online platform from Simply Do Ideas will look to add additional support and enable them to build their early-stage business ideas in a safe, digital space while developing the confidence to move forwards.
Cerys Furlong, chief executive, Chwarae Teg, said: “Chwarae Teg is very excited to be part of this project which aims to unlock the economic potential of female entrepreneurs from across Wales.
“I’d urge women from all walks of life who have a burning business idea they’d like to explore to come along to one of our events.
“They will be led by expert women, for women, with the aim of giving them the confidence and the skills that they need to tackle the barriers that many women face when looking to start a business.”
Lee Sharma, chief executive,
Simply Do Ideas, added that starting a business is hard.
“It can be terrifying to share an early-stage idea with anyone,” she said.
“So, the platform provides a virtual community where early-stage ideas and confidence can be built whilst engaging with other women on the same journey and facing the same challenges.
“It perfectly feeds into the Chwarae Teg offline events where ideas can be further explored ahead of progression to the excellent Welsh start-up support ecosystem.”
Alison Rose, CEO, NatWest, added that NatWest was delighted to be able to support the Future Females Founders project.
She said through its Cardiff and Bristol Accelerator Hubs NatWest was aware of the barriers to entry faced by female-led businesses and start-ups.
“In line with the recommendations of the Rose Review, it is vital that organisations and businesses work collaboratively to help build networks and create the support needed for entrepreneurs to succeed,” Ms Rose said.