Host: Warren Mulvihill Regional Director, Commercial Banking, Natwest Bank

Panel chair: Umerah Akram, Umerah Akram, ELITE – London Stock Exchange Group 

Speaker: Henry Whorwood, Beauhurst

Speaker: Miriam Cha, Co-Founder and COO of Rahko 

Speaker: Jackie Waring, Founder and CEO Investing Women 

The series of digital events is designed to bring the community of female entrepreneurs, investors and experts together, providing a great opportunity to share your experience as a business leader and learn from others.

UK has an impressive record of entrepreneurialism, attracting more venture capital and having a higher rate of start-ups than any other European nation. And whilst the UK scores highly in female entrepreneurship worldwide, it still lags behind some of its best-in-class peer countries as Natwest’s Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship finds. Covid-19 pandemic could further increase the gap in access to funding for female led businesses and set us back.

The panel will focus on the importance of first round equity fundraising in enabling more companies to reach the venture and growth stages of evolution. We'll also be examining the wider funding ecosystem and what can be done to combat the current challenges facing female entrepreneurs.