The number of women starting businesses in the United Kingdom is on the rise, according to a government-commissioned review. In 2022, 150,000 companies were started by women, double the number recorded in 2018. However, female-led businesses still face challenges in raising equity finance. Only 3.5% of Venture Capital went to British businesses led by women in the first half of 2023, compared to 85% directed to male-led firms. To address this funding inequality, entrepreneur Emma Sinclair is launching an initiative called Be My Angel, in partnership with crowdfunding platform Crowdcube. The initiative aims to encourage more women to become angel investors by offering opportunities to invest in startup and scaleup companies led by female entrepreneurs. Sinclair believes that increasing the number of female angels can help solve the underfunding problem faced by female-led businesses. She also highlights the importance of angels as a source of funding, emphasizing the value they bring in terms of support and experience. The Be My Angel scheme specifically encourages women to invest in women-owned companies. This initiative is part of a wider campaign to support women in business and address the barriers they face in accessing finance. The Rose Report estimated that unlocking the potential of women entrepreneurs could create £250 billion in new value. One of the report’s recommendations is to increase the number of women angels from 14% to 30%. Sinclair’s campaign aligns with this goal and aims to make a difference by encouraging more women to invest in female-led businesses.
Can Crowdfunding Empower Women to Become More Angel Investors?
