A free business support programme in Bristol for aspiring women founders has launched for its fourth year.
Enterprise Women is staged by SETsquared Bristol, the University of Bristol-led tech incubator that was recently ranked the UK’s Top Startup Hub by the Financial Times. 
Over the course of the six-month programme – which is fully funded by NatWest – founders receive mentoring, coaching, workshops, online training and introductions to a network of advisers and investors.
Since the programme started in 2020 it has supported more than 50 women founders to realise their entrepreneurial dreams.
These companies have contributed an economic impact of £23m to date, with one business – houseplant care app developer Hedira – being acquired by Australian compost system manufacturer Subpod.
The diverse range of businesses supported through the programme have also been behind innovations that are addressing many of society’s greatest challenges such as climate change, social inequality and online safety.
The businesses have also helping SETsquared Bristol in its goal for gender parity – women currently making up 49% of its companies’ founders and C-suite.
Among the recent graduates of Enterprising Women is Jack Fertility, the world’s first mail-in sperm test kit that offers lab-grade semen analysis results.
Co-founder and CEO Lily Elsner, said: “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 this October to next March and will conclude with a showcase and pitching event in the spring to recognise the awardees’ achievements.
Anyone interesting in finding out more about the programme can sign up to its launch event next Wednesday ,12 June, at Bristol’s Engine Shed from 12-2.30pm.
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 start-ups, business ideas or side hustles.
Applications for close on 31 July. For more information, click here
