More than 2,500 women receive support over three years of entrepreneurial skills programme

More than 2,500 women have received backing from a programme designed to support those who are looking to go freelance or bring their business start-up idea to life.

And, early next month, the University of South Wales (USW) is celebrating the third anniversary of its Developing Entrepreneurial Women Programme, a fully-funded series of masterclasses and events delivered in partnership with NatWest Cymru.

The programme, which is now run by USW’s Startup Stiwdio – a dedicated incubator space for new businesses - is part of the University’s commitment to enabling greater numbers of women and non-binary people in the Cardiff Capital Region to become their own boss, and aims to address the barriers to female entrepreneurship, namely those around confidence, agency/efficacy, self-esteem, and resilience.

As part of the programme there is access to a business development programme and coaching sessions, which operate in smaller cohorts that help to build a sustainable support community while also addressing practical barriers to trading.

The programme, which involves eight individual sessions which build upon each other, has been delivered by visual artist and facilitator Prith Biant, who has been has been running her own business for more than 15 years, and also works in schools as a creative practitioner, teaches, and runs creative workshops with women around self-image and empowerment. Prith is also an alumni of USW after studying for her MBA.

In the three years since the programme started in 2021 there have been 2,597 interactions with potential participants, with just under a third of those actively engaging with the support on offer.

As a result, there have been almost 40 businesses started or women supported to become self-employed, 23 of the participants have engaged in start-up coaching, and 20 received support to appear at the FSB Wales Conference.

Further benefits of being involved in the programme have included expert-led masterclasses and networking sessions led by 38 inspirational female-founders, while 30 participants have received the additional business coaching and professional development sessions, addressing various common barriers highlighted by the two The Rose Review Reports into Women’s Entrepreneurship for the UK Government.

To mark the third anniversary of the Developing Entrepreneurial Women Programme, on 9 May, at USW’s Newport Campus a number of leading female businesspeople will be attending a celebration showcase, including Kellie Beirne, Director of the Cardiff Capital Region programme; Caroline Thompson, Regional Enterprise Director for NatWest; Rachel Ashley of Women Angels of Wales, Carol Hall of the Development Bank of Wales.

Richie Turner, Manager of USW’s Stiwdio Entrepreneurship programmes, said: “We are excited to be able to continue this vital startup business programme for women based in South Wales, through the team at Startup Stiwdio, and with continued support from NatWest.

“To be able to reach so many women across the communities in South Wales demonstrates our commitment to helping our regional economy grow, as startups businesses are the key driving force for both economic and social change in our society. I congratulate all those who have taken part, and especially those women who have gone onto to start their own businesses.”

The free showcase will celebrate the Programme’s successes and shine a light on inspirational examples of female entrepreneurship in the region.

Full details of celebration showcase can be found here.