Northern investment duo behind the angel investment network set to proclaim the North of England as the go-to destination for female-founded businesses seeking funding is bringing their successful #NoMoreTalking event series to Manchester city.
Manchester, UK. May 28, 2024 – Driven by research findings that female-led businesses generate twice as much revenue per pound invested, despite receiving half the capital, newly formed Lifted Ventures is on a mission to drive change in the female founder 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.
To make it easier for female-led start-ups across the North to access early-stage funding, Lifted Ventures is creating a diverse investment community passionate about supporting female founders through capital, expertise and mentorship. Alongside creating angel investor and co-investor networks, Lifted Ventures provides full support to emerging female entrepreneurs, helping them to understand investment initiatives, and the funding options available and ultimately help them become investor-ready.
Lifted Ventures was co-founded by Jordan Dargue and Helen Oldham, previously known as the joint leaders of the award-winning NorthInvest angel network, and co-founders of Fund Her North, and Women Angels of the North.
The pair’s impressive track record and previous initiatives demonstrate their unique experience of building inclusive, early-stage investment capacity, angel networks and communities. Together, Jordan and Helen have facilitated over £450m of funding, helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and became the most active Innovate UK investor partner outside of London. Now, they’d like to use everything they’ve learnt to turn talk into action when backing Northern women in business, starting with a shift in rhetoric.
“Too often the conversation focuses on disparity, gender funding gaps, barriers and challenges. Lifted Ventures is focusing on opportunity,” said Jordan, co-founder of Lifted Ventures, Angel Investor and Non Executive Director. “One of our main aims is to educate and inform investors on the proven business benefits and greater economic returns which result from supporting female-founded businesses.”
Further in aid of this, Jordan and Helen have developed a series of tried-and-tested Angel Education Programmes in partnership with Natwest Bank. The interactive workshops, which will be delivered across Manchester and Leeds, are designed to support female and diverse founders to help them to better understand the investment landscape, adequately prepare their businesses for investment as well as build and develop networks across the ecosystem.
“We understand that female-led businesses and women angels need tailored pathways to ensure that they’re successful,” noted Helen, co-founder of Lifted Ventures, Angel Investor and Board Member of the UKBAA.“The work we’re doing with #NoMoreTalking and the Angel Education series aim to provide an open and collaborative space for investors and founders alike to share experiences, resources and knowledge needed to ensure growth and success. Ensuring female founders can access the right pathways of support, collaborating and leveraging the power of our community is the only way to accelerate change, especially in economic headwinds.”
Lifted Ventures officially launched the business in Leeds, in February 2024, which was kindly supported by The British Business Bank, with their first #NoMoreTalking event. The launch attracted some of the north’s most established and experienced founders, investors and regional stakeholders, committed to making entrepreneurship more accessible to female founders. The team are now taking the event on the road, with Newcastle and Manchester being the first stops in a series of Northern cities.
The Manchester event, sponsored by KPMG UK and Natwest, is aimed at anyone within the investment community interested in learning more about the business benefits of backing women and making a lasting change to the female founder space. Joining Jordan and Helen will be an incredible lineup of special guest speakers, providing their perspectives on the opportunity to back intersectional female founders; how to understand their needs and provide relevant investment pathways.
Heather Waters, Regional Enterprise Manager at NatWest, said: “There are some incredible female-led enterprises across the North of England, and we know the right investment can help many of them grow and thrive. We are looking forward to working with Lifted Ventures and supporting even more entrepreneurs in achieving their goals.”
The #NoMoreTalking Manchester event will take place at the offices of KPMG UK in St Peter’s Square on the 28th June 2024 and is designed to provide Investment Managers and Directors, Angel Investors, leading players or ecosystem stakeholders who are passionate about operating in the female founder space, the opportunity to make a lasting change.
Chris Stott, Office Senior Partner for KPMG in Manchester, said: “Access to funding is one of the biggest obstacles facing start-ups and particularly female founders as they grow their business. We believe it is important to try and break down some of those barriers to provide better opportunities for all. A thriving start-up community means a healthy tech ecosystem in Manchester and it can benefit the region as a whole.
“We are proud to sponsor this event which brings together female founders and leading players in the investor community to help provide meaningful change and better access to funding in the region.”
To attend the Manchester #NoMoreTalking event, register your interest and reserve your free ticket here: