TechRound’s Top Female Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2021

2020 as been a year of change, upheaval, difficulty for many in business and hardship for billions of people around the world with Covid-19. However, an area which has continued to excel and which has thrived is that of women in business. There are female entrepreneurs aplenty in the UK and with so many female entrepreneurs, we have picked out the ones to watch in 2021, so read on below and find out who to watch in the year ahead…

 

Tech Startups Founded by Women

Amy Williams – Good-Loop (Ethical online advertising platform)

Cyndi Rhodes, – Worn Again Technologies (A technology licensing company that is developingunique polymer recycling processes)

Ella Jade – ROOBBA (Consumer tech brand)

Irina Georgieva – Enterprise League (An AI powered business platform)

Jenni Riley – ITARMi (Business IT support on demand)

Katarzyna Bargielska – AdTons (Programmatic Advertising Platform)

Katya Linossi – ClearPeople (Providing comapnies digital workplace solutions)

Liron Barak – BitDam (Stopping malware & phishing attacks)

Melissa Roberts – Kidcrowd (A secure, online gifting platform)

Patrice Stephens – Pink Ship (Innovation in digital marketing)

Sasha Haco – Unitary (Developing computer vision models to make the internet safer)

Shreya Nallapati – NeverAgainTech (Using machine learning to analyse and prevent future mass shootings)

 

Health Startups Founded by Women

Alex Hastlehurst – Virtue Health (Musculoskeletal Health)

Alison Meadows – Priority Digital Health (Using tech to integrate healthcare across the UK)

Alma Ramirez-Acosta and Patricia Cervantes – Vibio (Creating inclusive and untradtional sex toys)

Alyson Friedensohn – Modern Health (Mental wellness platform)

Amy Thomson – Moody Month (Daily health and wellness tracker for women)

Asal Shirazi BEM –  Jeunvie (Skincare and wellbeing brand)

Billie Quinlan – Ferly (Making sex therapy more accessible)

Charis Udeh – KYALLI Skincare (A socially conscious holistic lifestyle brand creating luxurious products)

Dr Alka Patel – Lifestyle First (DNA mapping to achieve optimal health)

Dr Elina Berglund – Natural Cycles (Hormore-free birth control)

Dr. Sarah Welsh and Farah Kabir – HANX (Female led sexual health brand)

Josie North – The Printable Mask Co. (Face masks)

Lucie Hayter – The Gut Feeling (Inspiring people about gut health)

Melissa Snover – Nourished (3D Vitamin Brand)

Nicci Wright – The Circle Line (Online therapy platform)

Sophie Coulthard – FidILeaf (A wellbeing and personal development platform)

Stacey Hollands – Lust Minerals (Clean makeup and skincare)

Zaffrin O’Sullivan – Five Dot Botanics (Gender neutral skincare)

 

Food or Drink Startups Founded by Females

Christen Dali – My Lifeline (CBD Coffee Brand)

Diana Isac – Winerist (Online travel specialist for wine and food tours)

Gracie and Sophie Tyrrell – Squirrel Sisters (Snacks brand)

Helen Burgess – Little Cooks Co (A little box of baking joy for children)

Jess Salamanca – Banana Scoops (Banana based ice cream)

Salima Vellani – KBox (Modernising the commercial kitchen market)

Sarah Larby – Water Club (A consumer cleantech brand changing the way people consume drinks)

 

Female Focused Startups

Bukky Maybank – Making Humans (A big-talk conversation club for mothers of babies and toddlers)

Caroline Sande – TravelEatSlay (Community of female millennials)

Claire Gleave – Natal Active (Empowering pregnant and breastfeeding women through activewear)

Criney Insalata – BOBOU beauty (A beauty company focusing on creating innovative makeup tools)

Emma Sayle – Killing Kittens (female sexual empowerment)

Heeral Pattni – Amica (Travel brand for women)

Kiran Hothi and Sonam Kaur – NotYourWife (Creating an online space for south-asian women to connect)

Lisa Kay – Sole Bliss (The pain-free fashion footwear brand)

Olga Miler – SmartPurse (Making coversations about money more accessible to women)

Rachel Martin – Accountant_She (A female led accountancy firm)

Urenna Okonkwo – Cashmere (Helping women save and purchase luxury goods and experiences)

Vanessa Fernandes – NAYA London (A hair cosmetics distributor and retailer)

 

Fashion Startups

Aisling Byrne – Nuw (A clothes-sharing app)

Andra Sandru – Baxter House (An ethical sourcing and manufacturing agency)

Donna North – Dressipi (Fashion Prediction platform)

Grace Beverley – TALA (Affordable gymwear)

Nina Clark – Nightire (Innovation in sleepwear)

Petra Dobrocka – Byrd (Connecting online merchants to an international warehouse network)

Priya Downes- Nudea (Contempory Underwear Brand)

Victoria Prew – HURR (Clothing rental platform)

 

Environmental Focused Startups

Alice Ojeda – Authentic House (Eco-friendly subcription box)

Ashleigh Bishop – Bagboard (Adtech and m-commerce platform)

Charlotte Horler – NULA Carbon (Protecting threatened forests)

Elizabeth Snape – Enjoy Eco Box (Stylish gift boxes with a sustainable focus)

Jo Hand – Giki (Making sustainable living easy by helping you find sustainable products)

Leah Remfry-Peploe – Ohne (Sustainable period brand)

Bunmi Scott – It’s All About You (An eco-friendly health and wellbeing business focusing on plastic-free and zero waste living)

 

Empowering Startups Founded by Women

Alaina Percival – Women Who Code (Supporting women currently engaged in technology careers)

Alice Moxley- Pivot (Helping homeless people pivot their lives by designing and selling jewellery)

Claire Leon – Acorn-i (Empowering brands to sell online)

Ifza Tindall – Yuno (Social enterprise that aims to match underemployed workers with skilled industries)

Julia Kemp – Knowledge Recycled (A digital platform for hospitality experts to share their knowledge and expertise)

Louise Deverell-Smith – Daisy Chain (An online recruitment platform)

Michelle Velan – Wonder Source (One-on-one virtual coaching platform)

Perrine Farque – Inspired Human (Looking to irradicare discrimination in the workplace)

Stef Stanley – Ok Mentor (A free crash course and mentorship programme)

Tori Donnelly – WorkClub (Connecting remote workers to hundreds of workspaces across the UK)

 

Lifestyle Startups Founded by Women

Anna Waterfield – Plant Pet Club (Plant Subscription Service)

Chantelle Gyebi-Prempeh – Hex & Ginger (Lifestyle stationary brand)

Hannah Chapman – Ava May Aromas (Home fragrance products)

Jess and Lou Alderson – So Syncd (Dating app)

 

Finance Startups Founded By Women

Caroline Plumb OBE – Fluidly (Helping businesses get cash in the bank when they need it)

Louise Hill – gohenry (A fintech app that empowers young people to take part in the digital economy)

 

Student Focused Startups

Dasha Kroshkina – StudyFree (Connecting students with international education opportunities)

Lydia Jones – Housemates (Student housing)

 

How Many Female Entrepreneurs are there in the UK and what industries are they in?

With all the industries together, there are around 250 million self-employed women, worldwide; a figure expected to grow to 490 million by 2030. Women are starting businesses at record rates and female entrepreneur activity is up 10%. This is an increase of 5% since 2014. Since 2014, the number of female entrepreneurs has increased by 20 percent to a total of nearly 13 million, with firms owned by women of colour growing at double that rate. As of 2019, the industries with the most female entrepreneurs in the UK are personal services, fashion, arts, healthcare and education.

Why are Female Entrepreneurs so Important to the UK Economy?

A recent study by Print-Print was carried out throughout the two UK lockdowns and the results show a significant rise in the number of women starting their own company for the first time.  Since the pandemic started, the results of the study suggest that female-owned startups have grown by almost one third.

This suggests that the current crisis has resulted in a rise in female entrepreneurship. The reason for this may be because the pandemic has had a greater effect on women in employment, with UK Government statistics showing that more women were furloughed in comparison to men. With this, McKinsey note that although women make up 39% of the global workforce, women have totalled 54% of all COVID-19 related job losses. Despite this, women have had the time to take their career into their own hands and many have launched their own startup, helping to relaunch the economy.

Before the pandemic, in 2019, there was over 45,000 tech startups launched across the UK, with over 17,401 of these being registered in London. This figure is seen to have risen, with many new startups being registered in the UK which is why female entrepreneurs are so important to the UK economy.

What Help is Available to Female Entrepreneurs in the UK?

The below are example of organisations offering help to female entrepreneurs, with more examples found here.

Anita Borg Institute

The Anita Borg Institute recognizes the accomplishments of women in computing, and the organizations that recognize their value, through a variety of awards.

  1. Able Awards – Honouring distinguished women technologists and those who work to empower women.
  2. Pass It On Awards Program – Honouring Anita Borg’s desire to create a network of technical women helping one another.
  3. PITCHER – A pitch competition supports, encourages, and provides new funding opportunities to women entrepreneurs.

Cartier Women’s Initiative Award

French luxury jeweller Cartier run their Women’s Initiative Award every year, with winners receiving coaching and a share of more than $1M in funding. Female entrepreneurs from any country and industry are welcome to apply, provided their business is for-profit and in its early stages.

In addition to the 7 existing Regional Awards, the initiative has launched the Science & Technology Pioneer Award, a new thematic category for the 2021 edition that aims to support women impact entrepreneurs at the forefront of scientific and technological innovation.

Global Fund for Women

The Global Fund for Women supports organisations run by women, girls and trans people outside the United States. Successful applicants will receive funding and resources to help their local communities and often get multi-year grants.

Market Inspector Scholarship for Women in Business

This one is a little different; it’s a scholarship prize for female undergraduate and postgraduate students who have also set up their own business.

Awards – £1,000 scholarship for the applicant with the most innovative business.

StartHer Awards

StartHer invites European startups with at least one woman on the founding team to apply for their awards. 10 finalists will pitch to a panel of industry experts. Companies must have been active for between 6 months and 3 years.

Awards – €10,000 for one winner and prizes for finalists.

Women In Innovation Awards

This programme is run by Innovate UK, a non-departmental public body funded by the government. 2018’s funding will be awarded to female-led ideas that address the four grand challenges posed by the government’s Industrial Strategy:

  • AI and the data economy
  • clean growth
  • future of mobility
  • ageing society

Awards – £50,000 funding plus mentoring for 8 winners.

Women Who Tech Startup Challenge

Women Who Tech regularly run Startup Challenges to showcase and fund innovative, female-led startups around the world. Ten finalists pitch to a panel of industry experts for a share of $60,000, resources and mentorship.

Awards – Up to $35,000 in funding and support, depending on the prize.

Bright Ideas Trust

The Bright Ideas Trust provides support to young people who are unemployed, not in education or training or come from disadvantaged backgrounds. While they don’t give grants, they do offer loans of up to £25,000. They also run a programme specifically for prisoners who are interested in starting their own businesses after serving time.

Awards: Support and up to £25,000 startup loan

We have put together a list of female entrepreneurs to watch in 2021 covering different sectors, listing them from A-Z. Please find the list of all these talented female entrepreneurs below with their interview attached to find out more: