Starling Bank and Small Business Britain Launch partnership to Boost Female Entrepreneurship

Starling Bank and Small Business Britain Launch partnership to Boost Female Entrepreneurship

Starling Bank has teamed up with Small Business Britain, the UK’s main champion of small companies, to launch a new year-long partnership aimed toward empowering women across the UK to start and develop their very own companies.

The partnership will feature occasions, research, and a new free on-line training programme, ‘Female Founder Fundamentals: the definitive guide to starting and growing your business’, which is about to launch in early 2026. The initiative goals to present feminine founders with the abilities, network, and confidence to unlock their progress potential, at a time when the variety of feminine founders in the UK has been declining.

Recent UK authorities research from 2024 exhibits that women led just 14 per cent of SME employers, a determine that has declined steadily in recent times. This is despite women making up round 30 per cent of solopreneurs, indicating a big untapped potential for scaling up.

The partnership is rooted in the recognition that better assist is required for the UK’s feminine founders. It varieties a part of Small Business Britain’s mission to enhance the variety of feminine entrepreneurs main SMEs to 30 per cent by 2030. According to estimates, if women began and scaled new companies at the same price as males, it may add up to £250billion to the UK economic system.

Free training on finance, AI, and resilience

The new ‘Female Founder Fundamentals’ programme will include on-line masterclasses and peer-learning alternatives. It is designed for women who’ve lately began their very own companies and will give attention to constructing confidence, progress, and monetary abilities.

Established feminine founders will lead the masterclasses. Finance skilled Faye Watts will lead a session on ‘Accessing Finance & Investment’ to assist members perceive funding choices, while net design skilled Cheryl Laidlaw will ship an ‘AI for Productivity’ masterclass, exploring how to use artificial intelligence to streamline operations and save time.

The programme will also assist psychological resilience and monetary wellbeing. This follows joint research from Starling and Small Business Britain which discovered that 60 per cent of feminine founders wrestle to change off from work.

Kick-off at the Emirates

Michelle Ovens CBE, CEO and founding father of Small Business Britain

The partnership formally kicked off with a networking event for over 150 feminine entrepreneurs at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium on Saturday eighth November. The event, which capitalised on Starling’s partnership with Arsenal, happened ahead of the Women’s Super League match against Chelsea and celebrated women’s achievements in each enterprise and sport.

“There’s such incredible energy when women come together to celebrate success and support one another, whether in business or on the pitch,” said Michelle Ovens CBE, CEO and founding father of Small Business Britain. “This event with Starling at Arsenal Emirates Stadium was the perfect way to kick off our new partnership… Together, we’re building on that momentum with a new training programme to help even more women start and grow brilliant businesses.”

Michele Rousseau, chief advertising officer at Starling

Grace Graham, CEO of WorkSpa and considered one of the founders who attended the event, added: “It was a powerful reminder of how important it is to create spaces where women feel seen, supported, and celebrated as they overcome barriers and grow their businesses. Initiatives like this new partnership with Starling are crucial, providing the training and resources women need to grow, lead, and thrive.”

Michele Rousseau, chief advertising officer at Starling, said: “Starling is proud to be a female-founded bank. We stand behind female founders who are driving innovation and growth across the UK. This partnership with Small Business Britain reflects our commitment to helping people be good with money, whether that’s through financial tools, skills development, or simply celebrating their achievements.”

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