Female Founders: Intro to Investment

Female Founders: Introduction to Investment is designed to demystify the world of investment.

Female Founders: Introduction to Investment, sponsored by British Business Bank, is a brand new programme under the Creative Enteprise banner addressing the gaps in investment knowledge amongst female founders.

Importantly, this is not an investment-readiness programme.

It’s a space to explore your options, build understanding, and develop confidence before making big decisions.

It's a space to ask the important questions:

Will investment support your vision?
Is it the right route for your business - right now, or ever?
Are there alternative ways to achieve your goals?

You’ll have the opportunity to reflect on what growth means for your business and consider alternative routes alongside external investment.

Understanding investment isn’t just about accessing funding.

It’s about gaining clarity and making empowered decisions for the future of your business.

Deadline for applications is Thursday 2nd April at 5pm.

Despite the scale of female-led entrepreneurship, women remain significantly underrepresented in investment pipelines and funding outcomes. Access often starts with understanding: how investment works, what investors look for, and what the process really involves.

This programme responds to that gap. Our aim is to create informed access: building knowledge, confidence and clarity so women can decide whether investment is right for their business.

References: 1. Creative Enterprise: Lights, Camera, Capital!: Access to Finance Report 2. British Business Bank, 2023 3. British Business Bank, 2023

What is Female Founders: Introduction to Investment?

This programme is designed for women building screen businesses who want to understand investment: clearly, practically and without jargon.

If you’re considering growth and exploring funding options, this programme will help you make informed decisions about what investment really involves and whether it aligns with your vision.

What is involved?

Through expert guidance from our mentors and structured sessions, you’ll explore:

The different types of investment available
What investors are really looking for
Which funding routes might suit your business
Whether investment is the right path for you

You’ll be supported by an inspiring network of mentors, coaches and industry partners who’ve been there and done it. They’ll help you build clarity, capability and confidence.

You’ll also hear directly from female founders who have recently navigated the investment process, as well as from investors themselves, giving you insight from both sides of the table.

Would you like to discuss if the programme is right for you? Book a discovery call with us.

Eligibility & Fees

You will need to show that your business has the potential and ambition to scale up. To be considered for the programme, companies must:

Be a female founder (or co-founder) of a screen based narrative business working in storytelling for the moving image (this can include film/TV, games, immersive, createch)
Be registered and trading in England
Have successfully created a revenue generating product, reached a market/audience of scale or launched a new platform/ tech service that has enabled storytelling through moving image.
You must have employed a minimum of 2 people (including yourself) at some point in the last 5 years (Covid years excluded)
Have generated consistent sales revenue in the last 3 years in addition to any funding secured via grants, investment etc.
Be committed to the long term development of your company

The fee for participation in the programme is £150 + VAT per company.

Creative Enterprise is a BFI Lottery funded programme – overall, the support including group learning sessions, coaching and personalised mentoring you receive during the Female Founders programme is valued at over £5,000 per person.

There is also a bursary (contribution towards travel and accommodation) available for in-person sessions if needed. If you feel like this fee is a significant barrier to your participation in the programme, please speak to Creative Enterprise team to discuss options.

Deadline for applications is Thursday 2nd April at 5pm.

Meet The Mentors

Programme Delivery Schedule

Participants will take part in:

2 x online sessions
2 x in-person and networking sessions
3 x mentoring sessions per Founder

The programme will take place between June and July 2026. The in-person and online sessions will take place in June 2026 (once a week).

Subsistence contributions are available to help those who need it for travel to access in person sessions. These funds are limited and are at the discretion of Creative Enterprise.

The workshops are intended to give you an overview of the investment landscape. You will hear from industry experts as well as other company founders in the cohort, learning from their experiences. The 1-2-1 coaching supports you to apply the right thinking and actions in developing your investment strategy.

Detailed Timeline:

9th March: Applications Open

2nd April: Applications Close

mid-March - mid-May: Founder Fit Interviews

3rd June: In-person Session

10th June: Online Session

17th June: Online Session

1st July: In-person Session

Would you like to discuss if the programme is right for you? Book a discovery call with us.

Application Process

We want the process to feel thoughtful and two-way. Each stage helps us understand your business, and helps you decide whether the programme is the right fit.

1. Submit Your Application - Complete the online short application form. We ask the basic information about your business and what your ambitions are as a founder. We also collect data for monitoring purposes. You’ll receive a confirmation email once your application has been submitted.

2. Invitation to Founder Fit Interview - The applications are then reviewed by the Creative Enterprise team – if shortlisted, you’ll be invited to our Founder Fit Interview. We aim to get back to you within 28 calendar days.

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What is Founder Fit Interview?

This is a conversation to explore whether the programme is the right fit for you and your business at this stage. It’s not a traditional interview but more of a two-way discussion to assess where you’re at as a founder and where you see your business going.

For Female Founders: Introduction to Investment, this conversation will take approximately 45 minutes with our programme manager and one or more mentors. You’ll be sent the questions and topic for discussion in advance.

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3. Second Conversation - In some cases, we may invite you to a short follow-up conversation. This allows us to clarify specific areas of your application and ensure the cohort mix is right for everyone involved. We aim to have this conversation within one week of the Founder Fit Interview

4. Final Decision - All applicants will be notified of the outcome. Successful applicants will receive a formal invitation to join the cohort, programme dates and commitment expectations as well as onboarding details If you’re not selected this time, we’ll aim to provide brief feedback and may suggest alternative support where relevant.

Deadline for applications is Thursday 2nd April at 5pm.

Our Female Founders ecosystem is Creative Enterprise’s long-term commitment to supporting women building screen industry businesses across England.

It brings together targeted programmes, peer networks, events and industry partnerships to address the structural barriers female founders continue to face: from access to finance and leadership confidence to visibility and sustainable growth.

By creating a connected pathway of support at every stage of the entrepreneurial journey, the ecosystem exists to level the playing field, strengthen businesses, and build a more inclusive and resilient screen sector for the future.

Female Founders Programme

Creative Enterprise’s Female Founders programme champions ambitious women leading screen industry businesses across England. It’s the original programme for female leaders and has been running since 2020. Through expert-led workshops, mentorship, peer learning and structured development support, the programme equips founders with the tools, confidence and networks they need to grow sustainably. It creates space for honest conversation about the realities of building a screen business, while fostering long-term collaboration and shared learning within a powerful national community.

Over the last five years, we’ve supported over 70 female founders via this programme.

“The Female Founders programme is about creating a space where women in the screen industries feel seen, supported and ambitious. We’re building a network that lasts well beyond the programme itself. What we see time and again is the transformation in confidence. Founders leave not only with sharper strategies and stronger business models, but with the belief that they belong at the table.”

Sarah Jones, Project Manager - Female Founders

Female Founders: Introduction to Investment

Female Founders: Introduction to Investment is a new programme from Creative Enterprise designed to demystify the world of investment for women building screen businesses. Instead of traditional “investment-readiness” structure, this programme creates space to explore funding options, build understanding, and develop confidence before making significant financial decisions. Through expert guidance, and insights from both founders and investors, the programme supports participants to gain clarity on different funding routes and to consider whether external investment aligns with their long-term vision and growth ambitions.

“We introduced Female Founders: Introduction to Investment because we consistently saw a gap in investment knowledge across our Female Founders community. Many women were being told to ‘raise investment’ without having had the opportunity to properly understand whether it’s even the right route for their business. This programme was created to address that need and female leaders with confidence and clarity.”

Kate Sanders, Senior Programme Manager, Creative Enterprise

Female Founders Magazine

The Female Founders Magazine showcases the stories, insights and achievements of women within the programme and beyond. Through interviews, reflections and industry commentary, the publication highlights the impact of the ecosystem and amplifies the voices of founders shaping the future of the screen industries.

“The Female Founders Magazine is about visibility and voice. It gives space to the stories behind the businesses: the pivots, the risks, the lessons and the wins. We want it to feel honest and reflective of the real journeys women are navigating in the screen industries, while celebrating the strength and ambition of this community.”

Ivana Karabova, Marketing Manager - Creative Enterprise

Female Founders Conference

The annual Female Founders Conference brings together the entire network for a day of inspiration, practical insight and meaningful connection. Featuring leading voices from across the screen industries, alongside hands-on clinics and peer networking, the conference is a vital moment in the calendar. It celebrates the achievements of the network while creating new opportunities for collaboration, funding conversations and shared learning.

Over the last four years, we’ve been able to bring the conference to cities across England including Bristol, Manchester and London

“Bringing the Conference to different regions is important to us. It reflects our commitment to building a thriving screen business community across the whole country, not just in one city. Seeing the energy in the room - the conversations, the connections, the confidence - reminds us why building this community matters.”

Haley Edwards, Head of Creative Enterprise

We are deeply grateful for the support of the BFI, National Lottery funding, which makes the work of Creative Enterprise possible. Their commitment to building a thriving, inclusive, and sustainable screen sector has enabled us to support founders and businesses across the UK, helping them to grow, adapt, and reach their potential.

Thanks to the BFI’s continued support, we have been able to deliver impactful programmes, connect founders with mentors and investors, and help businesses become investment ready. This support has been instrumental in building a stronger, more connected screen business ecosystem, and we are proud to work together to back the ambition of the UK’s screen industries.

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Female Founders: Introduction to Investment

Female Founders: Introduction to Investment is designed to demystify the world of investment.

Deadline for applications is Thursday 2nd April at 5pm.

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