Be A Part Of This Game-Changing Start-Up Incubator

‘‘Entrepreneurship is a life changing experience and one we must normalise in the UK, so that it is as natural to become a business owner as it is to become a doctor or dentist.” says Cork.

Adding: “For women this also means leveling up the numbers, as currently only one in four businesses is female owned or led. Moreover, NWEW is focused on start-ups as opposed to scale-ups, because it is the thousands of ‘acorns’, as opposed to the few ‘unicorns’ which make the biggest difference to peoples’ daily lives around the UK – the small business which may simply be a kitchen table concern, but which changes the life choices of its owner for the better.”

National Women’s Enterprise Week will also be the official launch of the organisations first Enterprise Incubator – Women’s Launch Lab. This will provide 12 all-expenses-paid places in the London bootcamp from the 20th-22nd of June, designed for early-stage start-ups.

Judges and mentors are a powerhouse of talent, and includes Akshata Murthy, businesswoman and investor, Sara Davies MBE, Founder Crafter’s Companion and TV Presenter, Winnie Chiu JP, President and Executive Director, Dorsett Hospitality International, Isabel Oswell, Head of Business Audiences, British Library Business & IP Centre, Alison Hall, CEO of fashion brand Sosandar and Mariam Jimoh, Founder and CEO of Oja, amongst others.

The three day incubator is set to be intense, during the day, start-ups will hear and learn from innovative female entrepreneurs, growth and marketing strategists and financial experts. They will also be the recipients of training on how best to deliver their pitches to secure invest and future proof their companies.

In the evenings, networking is on the men with a reception at the British Library as well as the House of Lords. The programme culminates with each start-up founder pitching their ideas to a panel of seasoned venture capitalists and founders.

• Enter the Women’s Launch Lab incubator competition – the final date of entry is 15th May. Apply here.

• Take the first steps to start your own business if that’s been on your ‘to do’ list for a while. Look up your local Business & IP Centre visit here for free information and advice – there are 21 major hubs already round the UK, and 90 satellite centres.

• Organise your own local networking event or create an activity to celebrate NWEW. Start making those vital connections with other women already running their own business and those who need advice to get going.

• Download our branded graphics to use on social media or posters here.

• Support other local female entrepreneurs by sharing their business on your socials or buying products and services from them during NWEW (and beyond of course!) – share a pic of your purchases on your socials and tag #NWEW

“Britain will only fulfil its true potential when women fulfill theirs”, says the organisation and National Women’s Enterprise Women is helping supercharge that journey.