Innovate UK celebrates Britain’s most innovative women

Innovate UK has celebrated 15 of the UK’s most innovative women at an awards ceremony at London’s Royal Society of Arts.

The Innovate UK awards, which was launched in May this year, will be awarding £50,000 and a tailored business package to each of the winners.

Variety

The competition was launched to provide support for female entrepreneurs and to encourage other women to transform their ideas into a successful business.

The winners of the awards are all from the UK and work in a variety of fields, including digital health and green transport. In addition to receiving financial support, they will also be offered mentoring from a number of expert business leaders from Innovate UK, including Facebook VP for Europe, the Middle East and Africa Nicola Mendelsohn and Cambridge Wireless Founder and former CEO Soraya Jones.

Innovate UK’s campaign is aiming to help more women to get into business after it was found that only half as many women are participating in entrepreneurial activities compared with men.

Supporting female entrepreneurs and inspiring other women to start their own business could help to boost the UK’s economy by £180 billion.

Growth

Innovate UK Chief Executive, Dr Ruth McKernan, CBE commented: “It is very clear that harnessing the talent of women entrepreneurs could significantly enhance UK economic growth.”

She added: “I am delighted that we are taking action; supporting and funding female entrepreneurs to help them succeed and inspire other women to come forward, apply for funding and turn their ideas into successful businesses.”