Realise your potential, scale up, and secure investment.
Only one in three UK entrepreneurs are female
Only 16% of equity finance goes to companies with a female founder
80% of female founders believe that male entrepreneurs have access to better networks
£250bn could be added to the UK economy if women started and scaled new businesses at the same rate as men.
Female Founders Growth exists to tackle these statistics.
We empower female founders to realise their potential, scale up, and secure investment.
Created by award-winning solicitor and founder of A City Law Firm Karen Holden (links to about Karen), Female Founders Growth is for ambitious female founders who want to:
- Build confidence and capabilities
- Develop resilience and tenacity
- Create opportunities and new connections
- Scale-up and secure investment
Providing a dynamic community for female founders who want to meet like-minded women, make new connections and exchange ideas, Female Founders Growth also supports female founders build strategies and structures to scale up and secure investment.
Female Founders Growth host regular events and workshops, where together with industry partners and influential speakers, we take a straightforward approach to address the challenges that exist for female founders, provide insight, identify solutions and inspire progress.
This September we will launch the Female Founders Growth Programme to support up to 30 high-potential female founders to achieve rapid growth
If you are an ambitious female founder we are here to support you; we will help you navigate the entrepreneurial landscape, develop your skills and
resilience, avoid mistakes, and ultimately ensure your business prospers and gets the investment it deserves.
Karen Holden- Founder of Female Founders Growth
Starting September 2023- The Female Founders Growth Programme
A unique formula of strategic advice, professional services and practical resources, this structured programme supports female founders with grants or seed funding, who are seeking investment of £250k plus.
Over the course of 4 months we will work closely with female founders as they progress; to build effective infrastructure, develop a robust financial model, access commercial benefits and deliver a compelling pitch to achieve growth with impact.
The Female Founders Growth Programme is delivered together with trusted industry partners who provide expertise, insight and inspiration, and like us recognise the commercial and strategic benefits of backing female founders).
All too often female founders experience discrimination in investment situations; The Female Founders Growth Programme offers opportunities for regular engagement with an eco-system of vetted investors, including VCs, family offices and syndicates, all eager to invest in female led businesses.
Cost effective, comprehensive, and agile, the Female Founders Growth Programme is tailored to founders’ individual business requirements, values and specific goals.
On this programme Female Founders are:
Equipped with a toolkit of practical resources including drafted legal documents, actionable plans and bespoke strategy templates. Guided through complex processes such as due diligence, grant applications and financial forecasts. Empowered through dedicated mentoring and a schedule of regular workshops, exclusive events and networking. Supported to optimise and protect their brand, build a robust infrastructure and create a compelling pitch deck.Enabled to effectively engage with investors, raise capital and achieve growth with impact.
Programme Overview:
The Female Founders Growth Programme is the only system that supports female founders with strategic advice, professional services and drafted documentation. For an affordable monthly fee female founders gain unlimited access to programme workshops, 1-2-1 consultations, partners, services and events.
Commercial
Company valuation
Access to debt finance and invoice factoring
Business banking
Tax advice
Applications for EIS, patent box and grants
Legal
o Shareholders agreement
o Client terms
o NDAs
o Trademarks & IP
o GDPR
o Website terms
Brand & Marketing
PR & CSR
Brand identity & KPIs
Digital content and execution
Partnerships & sponsorship
Investors
Networking events with panel of investors
Pitch opportunities with network of investors
Investor negotiations
Supply chain and operations
Employer advice
Staff training and retention
Procurement and supplier management
Sustainability & ESG- strategy and delivery
Risk management
Skills & development
Talks from inspirational founders and industry experts
Networking with other programme members
2 days office space per week in central London
Frequently asked questions
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Karen Holden
Karen set up A City Law Firm in 2008, which is now an award winning Legal 500 firm with a predominantly female team who provide a full service to private and corporate clients. Karen is an expert in commercial and business law, she has extensive experience of working with founders seeking capital, preparing, and optimising their businesses potential, advising on regulations, and successfully securing investment to scale.
Karen is passionate about supporting females to thrive, she has achieved industry recognition and an array of awards that are testament to both her professional skills and determination to improve equality and diversity.
Based on Karen’s own experiences as a female founder, her understanding of the unique challenges female founders face, and awareness that they often lack confidence and connections (compared to their male counterparts), Karen created the Female Founders Growth Programme. She leveraged her professional network to build the programme’s comprehensive range of services and resources, secured partnerships with other businesses that recognise the value of supporting female founders and established a network of investors including family offices, VC, angels, and syndicates that are ready to invest in female founders.
Karen takes a hands-on approach to leading the Female Founders Growth Programme; providing members with accountability, and support to ensure they are making progress and are on track for growth.
Karen’s awards and credentials:
Masters from Cambridge University
2018- Freedom of the City award for work in promoting equality
200?- Start up award at 10 Dowing St?
2022- Champion Award supporting female founders
Regularly speaks at industry events including Catapult, Google Campus, The Business Funding Show, Oxford University, and the House of Lords
Sits on steering panel for a fund that focuses on female led businesses.
Supported female founders to secure combined value of £?million investment
Female Founders Growth Events
We host regular events and workshops for female founders who want to develop their skills, gain insight, meet like minded women and be part of the female founders growth community.
Our Partners
