A new initiative launched with the aim of making high-growth entrepreneurship more accessible to women outside of London and the South East has unveiled its new regional board.
The Lifted Project was established as a result of a recommendation from a new government taskforce established to boost private investment in women-led businesses across the º£½ÇÊÓƵ.
A board has been installed to cover Birmingham and the West Midlands to spearhead the five-year programme.
It is jointly chaired by Tara Attfield-Tomes, who founded Birmingham PR Agency East Village, and Hephzi Pemberton who runs London-based data firm Honordex.
Joining them are Wolverhampton native Maxine Laceby, founder of beauty brand Absolute Collagen and Melissa Snover, founder of Digbeth-based health supplement firm Rem3dy Health.
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Completing the line up of female founders is Oyinkansola Adebayo, angel investor and founder of AI beauty salon Niyo Hair & Beauty, also based in Digbeth.
Also on the board are figures representing the funding sector, namely Alexander McLeod from Minerva Business Angels, Julian Dennard from Mercia and Rupert Lyle from Midven.
The board also welcomes angel Investor Samantha Tubb, Ashreen Seethal from government innovation agency Innovate º£½ÇÊÓƵ, Charlotte Bowden from Business Growth West Midlands, Anna Macrae from HSBC, Hannah Ellis from Lloyds Bank and Roxanne Goodman, founder of Female Founder Finance.
Research suggests the West Midlands has a higher proportion of female-led businesses, at 17.1 per cent, compared with other regions in England but there is still a significant funding disparity.
The Lifted Project in Birmingham aims to change that by attracting new investment funds into the region, increasing the percentage of capital invested in female-led companies and better equipping founders with the resources and networks they need.
Similar initiatives have been set up in four other º£½ÇÊÓƵ locations.
The Lifted Project is supported by Lloyds Bank and led by Lifted Ventures which works to increase the flow of early-stage capital to female founders and promote the business benefits of backing women.
Co-founder Jordan Dargue said: "The West Midlands has a vibrant female founder ecosystem but there's room for significant growth.
"With The Lifted Project, we're determined to bridge the funding gap and empower the next generation of women entrepreneurs. This board represents the best of the West Midlands business community.
"Together, we're confident in creating a supportive environment for female-led businesses, allowing them to scale their businesses and achieve their full potential with the funding and support needed.
"The Birmingham board is poised to unlock a wave of innovation and economic growth, driven by the power of female leadership and we're excited to see what's achieved."
