October 2024 – Lifted Ventures is proudly celebrating its first year of activity, working to proclaim the North of England as the go-to destination for female-founded businesses seeking funding.
Established in September 2023 and officially launching in January 2024, Lifted Ventures set out with a clear mission: to empower and increase the flow of funding to female founders.
Driven by research findings that female-led businesses generate twice as much revenue per pound invested, despite receiving half the capital, Lifted Ventures is on a mission to drive change in the female founder and investment space.
Start-up funding is quoted as the biggest barrier by female founders with less than 1% of all venture funding being investment into businesses founded by all-female teams, according to The Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship report in 2023. Lifted Ventures launched in a quest to make investment accessible to all and promote the business and portfolio benefits to backing female founders, and to increase angel investment activity across the regions.
More women angel investors in the North are needed
Jordan Dargue, Co-founder of Lifted Ventures and angel investor said: ‘Currently, only 14% of the UK’s angel investors are women, with over 50% of those based in London. We know women are more likely to back female entrepreneurs, making their involvement crucial for fostering a diverse and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. We are creating a diverse investment community who are passionate about supporting female founders through capital, expertise and mentorship.’
‘There are a lot of common myths about angel investing, including that angel investing is only for the ultra-wealthy. Angel investing is accessible to individuals with a range of financial capabilities and can be a part of anyone’s financial portfolio. Perceived barriers such as lack of awareness, confidence, and visible role models continue to slow down women’s participation. That’s why we set up Lifted Ventures – we’re addressing the gender investment gap and promoting financial independence among women.’
Since officially launching in January 2024, Lifted Ventures have developed and delivered two large scale events for both investors and female founders, the Athena Festival and The Lifted Women Angels Conference, along with the following key achievements:
- Lifted Ventures has provided critical support to facilitate 10 investment rounds, driving capital into promising businesses led by female founders. In total helping to leverage over £4.2million into businesses which contributes to their capacity to innovate, grow, and succeed.
- Working with professional service partners, the team at Lifted Ventures have provided investment advice and support to more than 370 female founders, helping them understand the investment landscape, and supporting them in developing their business models in preparation to meet investors.
- Launching the Lifted Women Angels Conference, this inaugural event brought together over 120 investors and advisors to share insights and explore investment opportunities for supporting female founders.
- Celebrating female founders with the Athena Festival: A festival of Inclusion, Innovation and Investment for Female Founders at Nexus Leeds, with 120+ women coming together to learn more about investment, finance and the power of community.
- Education is at the heart of the Lifted Ventures model and they have already run two successful angel education programmes, equipping investors with the knowledge and tools to make gender-smart investment decisions. Three more programmes are running or coming soon in the Midlands, Manchester and Yorkshire.
- Five tailored investment readiness programmes have been delivered to equip founders with the financial literacy skills needed to attract and secure funding. They have now developed an accelerator programme with investment readiness and access to finance at the core, along with key sector and industry focus including a specific capability around women’s health tech and femtech.
- The #NoMoreTalking roadshow series attracted over 750 attendees across six major cities—Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle—highlighting the need for actionable change in the investment landscape.
- Lifted Ventures launched The Lifted Project in partnership with Zandra Moore and Panintelligence, The Data City and Lloyds Bank, creating five regional boards dedicated to building data driven greater, place-based investment ecosystems for high growth female founders at series A level and beyond.
British Business Bank support Lifted Ventures
Helen Oldham, co-founder of Lifted Ventures and angel investor said: ‘We have remained steadfast in our commitment to making the regions the gender-smart investment capitals of the UK. As we look to the future, we’re dedicated to supporting female entrepreneurs and ensuring they have access to the capital, resources, and networks they need to thrive. We are incredibly grateful to our partners, investors, and community for their support over the past year and look forward to building on this foundation of success.’
Vicky Mears, Director UK Network – Midlands & North of England for the British Business Bank said: ‘Celebrating the first anniversary for Lifted Ventures is a great opportunity to highlight the great progress made to date. Over the past year, we’ve seen and supported this network to grow, connect, and empower women investors and entrepreneurs in transformative ways. Their education programs have equipped more women with the tools, confidence, and community to make impactful investments, bringing fresh perspectives and energy to the UK’s investment landscape. This anniversary is a testament to what’s possible when we work together to create a more inclusive ecosystem. We’re thrilled to continue to support Lifted Ventures on this journey, as they break down barriers and foster the next generation of women investors.’