The gender investment gap refers to the fact that only 1p in every £1 of venture capital funding in the UK goes towards female-led businesses.
Over 130 female entrepreneurs, investors and funders from across the UK and Ireland have already signed up to attend. Focussing on the investment landscape, attendees will meet entrepreneurs and funders, hear from those who have raised outside funding and those who have invested in early stage and growing businesses.
Lynsey Cunningham, Regional Director, Entrepreneurship at Ulster Bank, said:
“At the Belfast Accelerator, one of our main objectives is to boost female entrepreneurs and as a bank we are proud to continue our leading role in building the people that build businesses. This is a practical and supportive event that will help put money behind some great examples of NI’s female-led companies.
“It’s also going to help build network by showing great examples of people who have raised funding as well as senior funders who can articulate what they are looking for in an investable business idea.”
Sessions at the event will focus on some of the areas identified by the Rose Review into female entrepreneurship as being most important for growing women-led businesses including: access to relatable role models; creating a broad network of contacts; and getting access to external investment to fund growth.
Released on International Women’s Day last year, the Rose Review identified that women make up only 33% of entrepreneurs in the UK and that achieving parity in start-up rates between men and women could generate an additional £250bn to the UK economy.
Suzanne Wylie, Chief Executive of Belfast City Council, said supporting entrepreneurship was an important element of delivering the Belfast Agenda.
“Northern Ireland’s Female Investment Day is a prime example of how a strong partnership approach can help make the required improvements needed for female entrepreneurship to thrive in our city.
“The conference will address the many challenges facing female-led businesses and by hearing directly from these business owners, we hope to gain a greater understanding of the policy changes we can introduce at council level to mitigate these. We are looking forward to working in close collaboration with our city partners, to ensure that Belfast continues to foster the growth of female businesses.”
For more information and to sign-up to attend, visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ni-female-investment-day-tickets-62346806978
Gabi Burnside, Entrepreneur Accelerator Manager, Ulster Bank; Suzanne Wylie; Chief Executive, Belfast City Council and Claudine Owens, Portfolio Manager, Clarendon Fund Managers.
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