A new festival is taking place in Leeds to bring together female founders and investors.
The inaugural Athena Festival, described as a “festival of inclusion, innovation and investment” will be held in October at Nexus.
Its aim is to empower women entrepreneurs outside of London and build a supportive community for female-led businesses.
“The Athena Festival is a groundbreaking initiative for the Leeds region, signalling a new era of support and growth for female entrepreneurs across the UK”, said Jordan Dargue, Co-Founder of Lifted Ventures and the Athena Festival.
“By providing a platform for female founders outside of London to scale and succeed, the festival fosters a diverse and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. It catalyses economic growth, drives innovation, and strengthens the community by connecting visionary founders with passionate angel investors.”
Organisers say that almost 45% of England’s female led high-growth enterprises are located in London, which is a “clear regional imbalance.”
“We developed the brand of Athena named after the Goddess, Zeus’s favourite granddaughter: she is associated with the attributes of wisdom, bravery and resourcefulness and this is what we want to embody throughout this festival,” explained Helen Oldham, Lifted Ventures Co Founder.
“The iconic symbol of the wise owl is associated with Athena. We want everyone to walk away from the event feeling taller, and more heroic”,
The Athena Festival will feature a programme of workshops, mentorship sessions, networking opportunities, and pitch competitions.
It’s being organised by Lifted Ventures and supported by Leeds City Council.
