SUPPORTING FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS

How we’re helping high-growth businesses run by women

 

 

In a nutshell

 

A female entrepreneurship review commissioned by HM Treasury and led by Alison Rose, CEO of our parent company NatWest Group, identified challenges faced by women trying to grow a business.

In response, the UK Enterprise Fund (UKEF), which we established with BGF (formerly the Business Growth Fund), gives women better access to capital, help preparing for investment, and networking opportunities.

 

how we could help

 

The many ways the UKEF helps female entrepreneurs include:
 

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DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT

 

The Fund will take a direct, minority stake in exceptional businesses that meet its criteria. While it won’t invest with a gender bias, it gives entrepreneurs access to more of the long-term, flexible funding they need whilst ensuring they retain control.

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INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

 

The UKEF aims to increase the number of fast-growing firms run by women that are backed by BGF and benefit from access to capital.

 

Woman with dog

INVALUABLE CONTACTS

 

Coutts is working with BGF to recruit more leading female executives and entrepreneurs into a 6000-strong ‘Talent Network’ of people with specialist skills, experience and connections.

 

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FUNDING WORKSHOPS

 

Coutts and BGF are hosting sessions to help businesses become ‘investment ready’. They cover the types of funding available, how to build great teams and what investors are looking for.

"Female-led businesses are an underinvested field and a big opportunity. We will provide founders with the patient capital they need to build and scale sustainable businesses."


Mohammad Syed, Head of Coutts Asset Management

 

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE UK ENTERPRISE FUND

how we could help

 

The many ways the UKEF helps female entrepreneurs include:

 

1211315979

 

DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT

 

The Fund will take a direct, minority stake in exceptional businesses that meet its criteria. While it won’t invest with a gender bias, it gives entrepreneurs access to more of the long-term, flexible funding they need whilst ensuring they retain control.

 

1210772231

 

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

 

The UKEF aims to increase the number of fast-growing firms run by women that are backed by BGF and benefit from access to capital.

 

Woman with dog

 

INVALUABLE CONTACTS

 

Coutts is working with BGF to recruit more leading female executives and entrepreneurs into a 6000-strong ‘Talent Network’ of people with specialist skills, experience and connections.

 

1282855598

 

FUNDING WORKSHOPS

 

Coutts and BGF are hosting sessions to help businesses become ‘investment ready’. They cover the types of funding available, how to build great teams and what investors are looking for.

"Female-led businesses are an underinvested field and a big opportunity. We will provide founders with the patient capital they need to build and scale sustainable businesses."


Mohammad Syed, Head of Coutts Asset Management
 

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE UK ENTERPRISE FUND

A huge opportunity for the uk

 

In 2019, the Rose Review highlighted the stark disparity between female and male entrepreneurs, and the unrealised potential it represents for the UK economy.

Key findings included:

  • women receive less than 1% of venture capital and have an average starting capital 50% lower than men
  • they are less aware of funding options than men, which presents a huge opportunity
  • over 1,100 new businesses launch in Britain each day, but only one in three of the entrepreneurs involved is female
  • businesses led by women are typically only 44% the size of male-led businesses, and five times less likely to scale up
  • female entrepreneurs are under-represented in transport and information technology, two of the most productive sectors of the UK economy

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE ROSE REVIEW

 


SPREADING THE WORD 
  

While the Fund will not seek to invest in solely female-led businesses as an objective, one of its key aims is to provide tangible support to overcome barriers to female entrepreneurship.

This support includes:

  • a push to increase the number of businesses it meets led by women – NatWest is raising awareness among its 47,000 corporate and commercial customers
  • promoting best practice across investing – BGF has signed up to the Investing in Women Code, a set of government principles that show a clear commitment to supporting female entrepreneurship (NatWest Group is a founding member)

 


SUPPORTING DIVERSITY 
  

BGF, the UK’s leading investor in female-led businesses, is committed to supporting diversity more broadly within investing, which complements the UK Enterprise Fund’s push to support women.

Other initiatives BGF is involved in include:

  • the Diversity Project, a cross-country scheme to promote inclusive cultures within the investment and savings professions
  • the Diversity VC Standards, which enable venture capitalists to open their networks to under-represented founders
  • supporting high-performing businesses with diverse management teams – backing at least 11 companies with black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) founders or CEOs
Contact the team by emailing: ukenterprisefund@coutts.com

 

SPREADING THE WORD
 

While the Fund will not seek to invest in solely female-led businesses as an objective, one of its key aims is to provide tangible support to overcome barriers to female entrepreneurship.

This support includes:

  • a push to increase the number of businesses it meets led by women – NatWest is raising awareness among its 47,000 corporate and commercial customers
  • promoting best practice across investing – BGF has signed up to the Investing in Women Code, a set of government principles that show a clear commitment to supporting female entrepreneurship (NatWest Group is a founding member)

SUPPORTING DIVERSITY
 

BGF, the UK’s leading investor in female-led businesses, is committed to supporting diversity more broadly within investing, which complements the UK Enterprise Fund’s push to support women.

Other initiatives BGF is involved in include:

  • the Diversity Project, a cross-country scheme to promote inclusive cultures within the investment and savings professions
  • the Diversity VC Standards, which enable venture capitalists to open their networks to under-represented founders
  • supporting high-performing businesses with diverse management teams – backing at least 11 companies with black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) founders or CEOs

Average expected holding period of 5–7 years for individual assets. Guaranteed exit for investors in Year 10 for any unrealised investments.

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If you’re looking to invest through the fund, contact the team by emailing UKEnterpriseFund@coutts.com. 

This information is intended, and is only appropriate, for financially-experienced, high net worth individuals who:

  • are capable of electing to be a Professional Client (as described in the FCA rules)
  • are comfortable with higher-risk investments
  • understand the nature and risks associated with the type of investment described herein
  • conduct their own due diligence and analysis

When investing, the value of your investments, and the income you receive from them, can go down as well as up and you may not get back as much as you invested.

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When you become a client of Coutts, you join a network of exceptional people. Get in touch online or call +44 (0)20 7753 1365 to find out more about our services.

Already a client?

Contact your private banker at any time or call +44 (0)20 7957 2424 for more information.

 

All calls with Coutts are recorded for training and monitoring purposes.

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