Bruntwood SciTech has announced the expansion of its Female Founders Incubator, bringing the award-winning incubator to Alderley Park in a move designed to help tackle the gender diversity gaps in the tech and wider entrepreneurship sectors.
Delivered in partnership with Lifted Ventures, a venture capital firm dedicated to supporting female-led startups across the UK, the initiative will provide essential resources, mentorship and networking opportunities.
The Female Founders Incubator at Alderley Park aims to support the next generation of female entrepreneurs by offering 30 early-stage female founders the opportunity to take advantage of over £20,000 worth of specialist business support. The comprehensive six-month programme includes tailored mentoring, access to a range of industry events, complimentary workspace in Glasshouse, and extensive networking opportunities designed to foster transformative growth. Participants will also benefit from personalised support from industry leaders and experts, ensuring they have the tools and guidance necessary for success.
Alderley Park in Cheshire, owned and operated by Bruntwood SciTech – the UK’s largest property platform dedicated to the growth of the knowledge and backed by Bruntwood, Legal & General and Greater Manchester Pension Fund – provides the ideal location for the Incubator. Based out of the Glasshouse, a vibrant workspace at the heart of Alderley Park, the programme is designed to be inclusive for any innovation-led, female-founded startup business.
Alderley Park is home to over 250 companies and 4,000 people working within science, technology and innovation. With its highly specialist infrastructure, dedicated growth support, and long-established innovative community, the Park is well-equipped to facilitate the Incubator. Additionally, the campus is also the site of the Life Science Accelerator, which supports early-stage life science companies, further reinforcing its position as one of the UK’s most eminent innovation hubs.
Bruntwood SciTech’s Female Founders Incubator already has a proven track record of supporting female-led startups. In previous cohorts across Leeds and Manchester, founders secured over £200,000 in capital investment, collectively won 15 awards, facilitated 90 new business introductions through the partnership network, and created numerous new job roles. Additionally, several founders successfully completed funding rounds through the help of the Incubator, collectively securing up to £1 million to drive their businesses forward. The mentorship scheme and regular events programme has introduced founders to legal, finance, funding and marketing experts, alongside connections to Bruntwood SciTech’s UK-wide ecosystem of 1,100 like-minded startups, scaleups, and global businesses. These introductions have supported founders to build and grow their own network of expert advice, which they continue to utilise today. These achievements underscore the programme’s significant impact on transforming the business trajectories of female founders.
The project is being funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, aligning with Bruntwood SciTech’s commitment to driving growth and knowledge sharing in the region. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund has committed £2.6 billion to local investment by March 2025.
Andy Roberts, head of innovation for Bruntwood SciTech, said: “We are committed to creating a more level playing field for female entrepreneurs by providing them with the necessary resources, support and opportunities to succeed and scale. Our previous cohorts in Leeds and Manchester have demonstrated the profound impact of this initiative.
By expanding the Female Founders Incubator to Alderley Park, which already hosts Bruntwood SciTech’s Life Science Accelerator programme, we aim to further enhance the vibrant innovation ecosystem here and drive growth across the region.”
Helen Oldham, co-founder of Lifted Ventures, added: “We are delighted to be working with Bruntwood SciTech to expand their female founder support. Our contribution will combine our deep knowledge and expertise in investment readiness education for female founders with the opportunity to present to real investors.”
The launch of the Female Founders Incubator builds on a strong 2023 for R&D funding at Alderley Park, with figures released earlier in 2024 showing that life science businesses at the park alone, had secured nearly £50 million in new R&D-linked funding over the past year – testament to the campus’ support for groundbreaking research.
Applications for the Female Founders Incubator are open until 19th September 2024, with selected participants notified by 24 September 2024. The programme will commence with a launch event and induction on 1st October, providing a platform for participants to meet the cohort and programme leads.
