The flagship fund for a government-backed initiative aimed toward boosting entry to finance for feminine enterprise house owners has reached a proper first shut of £130 million.
The ‘Girls backing Girls’ fund of funds has been arrange for the Put money into Girls Taskforce, which was established by the Division for Enterprise and Commerce to sort out the large funding hole between female and male entrepreneurs.
Run by Bootstrap4F, the primary shut of £250 million brings collectively funding from Barclays, the British Enterprise Financial institution, M&G plc and Nationwide. The fund of funds contributes to the Taskforce’s complete £635 million funding pool of commitments.
Bootstrap4F stated it can now start investing in fund managers that meet gender variety and business returns standards to mirror “the Taskforce’s core conviction that backing feminine and mixed-gender groups just isn’t merely the fitting factor to do, however a wise funding determination”.
Girls enterprise house owners obtain lower than 2% of all fairness funding, a determine that has barely modified within the final decade. Out of £18 billion fairness funding in 2025, absolutely female-founded groups obtained simply 1.75%.
Introducing a Feminine Enterprise Funding Scheme was one in every of 26 suggestions in a report by the Girls and Equalities Committee revealed final yr.
Chair Sarah Owen MP stated the committee obtained “regarding proof that feminine entrepreneurs face vital disadvantages in accessing finance, networks and help because of systemic bias, an absence of variety amongst funding decision-makers and entrenched cultural norms”.
Hannah Bernard, co-chair of the Put money into Girls Taskforce, stated:
“This isn’t an act of goodwill, it’s a business and financial crucial. Girls-led companies ship 35% increased returns and re-directing capital to feminine and blended groups represents one of the vital untapped alternatives for UK financial development. The breadth of institutional backing on this first shut demonstrates the funding ecosystem is starting to behave on what the proof exhibits.”
Debbie Wosskow, co-chair of the Put money into Girls Taskforce, stated:
“We wanted to vary what ‘regular’ appears like, and it’s a market correction that’s lengthy overdue. I’m extremely pleased with what we’ve constructed with our funding companions – it’s an historic achievement, and we’re delighted that establishments have recognised the chance on the desk. They’ve proven actual management. We now want extra traders to come back aboard and be a part of us on this journey.”
Minister for funding Lord Stockwood stated:
“The UK is a thriving enterprise hub, and this £130 million funding into the Girls Backing Girls fund is a serious second in showcasing the ability of presidency and trade in coming collectively to make a constructive distinction in our funding setting.
“By the Put money into Girls Taskforce, we’re creating additional alternatives for feminine founders and inspiring extra girls to change into traders to make an actual distinction within the sector and in our nation.”
