Women’s Enterprise Task Force welcomes new investment fund for female owned businesses
The new £12.5 million Women’s Investment Fund, announced in today’s Budget, is welcomed by Women’s Enterprise Task Force (WETF) co-Chairs Pam Alexander, South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) Chief Executive, and businesswoman, Dr Glenda Stone, CEO, Aurora.
"The Task Force is delighted that the Government is establishing a fund focused primarily on investing in women-led businesses. We have advocated the creation of such a fund for women as one of our top five priorities. We know that women-owned businesses, on average, utilise only half to a third of the investment capital that male-owned businesses use to fund their businesses,” Pam Alexander.
"The Task Force has identified a scarcity of intermediaries that will invest time in understanding the different needs of female entrepreneurs. This Fund presents an opportunity to create a bridge between aspiring entrepreneurs and capital; it will act as incentive for intermediaries to support more female entrepreneurs and connect them to the cash they need.” Ken Olisa, WETF member, Reuters Board member, and Chairman of Restoration Partners."
"If women-owned businesses were well financed from the start, then greater growth would be more likely. This would result in increased job and wealth creation for the economy," Glenda Stone.