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The purpose of the taskforce is to increase the number of women-led high-growth businesses, with a particular focus on regions outside of London.

The taskforce will use its convening power to influence high-growth investors and the wider business community, and to raise the aspirations of the next generation of female entrepreneurs.

The taskforce will collaborate with the Rose Review, with which it shares common ambitions. It will also work with organisations across the UK to support the government’s overall target of increasing the number of female entrepreneurs by half by 2030 (equivalent to nearly 600,000 more female entrepreneurs) with a particular focus on driving change in the area of growth capital.

The taskforce will raise the profile of high-growth entrepreneurship, identify the main barriers in accessing high-growth capital, and suggest areas to stimulate regional opportunities based on robust data and engagement.

For the purpose of the terms of reference, the taskforce will use the OECD’s definition of high-growth enterprises: “Enterprises with average annualised growth in the number of employees greater than 20% per year, over a 3-year period, and with 10 or more employees at the beginning of the observation period”. (Eurostat-OECD Manual on Business Demography Statistics, 2008).

June Angelides MBE: Investment Manager, Samos, and CEO and Founder, Mums in Tech

Alexandra Depledge MBE: CEO and Founder, Resi

Poppy Gustafsson OBE: CEO and Co-founder, Darktrace

Judith Hartley: CEO of British Patient Capital and British Business Investments, British Business Bank

Zandra Moore: CEO and Co-founder, Panintelligence

Deepali Nangia: Partner, Speedinvest and Co-founder Alma Angels

Jan Putnis: Partner, Slaughter and May

Angela Scott: Founder and Chief Operating Officer, TC BioPharm Ltd

Emma Sinclair MBE: Co-founder and CEO, EnterpriseAlumni

Helen Steers: Partner, Pantheon Ventures

Sam Smith: Founder and CEO at finnCap Group Plc

Francesca Warner: Co-founder and Partner, Ada Ventures

The work of the taskforce will last for 18 months. The taskforce will meet every 3 months. The secretariat will be coordinated between the Government Equalities Office and the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, in collaboration with the chair’s support team.

The taskforce will work to achieve the following:

influence venture capitalists, the wider investment community and the media to recognise the value of women’s innovation and impact

help to strengthen the data and evidence base, including building a better international picture, to develop a more comprehensive and robust understanding of women-led high-growth enterprise

map activity by important stakeholders and create a pipeline blueprint for where interventions are most effective starting from early years, through to university and beyond

galvanise action from professional services firms, financial institutions, support networks, and educators to increase accessibility to advice, guidance and financial support for women-led high-growth enterprises

share best practice across private, public and third sectors, to ensure that women are able to access the support needed to start a high-growth enterprise

work to influence regional organisations and consider geographical opportunities to deliver solutions that work for regions across the UK

use their profile and their credibility to encourage more girls and young women to see starting a business, particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), as a valid career option with high-growth potential

use the media to promote case studies and inspirational role models

campaign to challenge and remove negative gender stereotypes attached to ‘traditional entrepreneurs’, including by building on Starling Bank’s initiative and research

campaign to challenge the status quo culture of high-growth companies, which is traditionally dominated by men

act as an ‘innovation catalyst’ providing strategic direction and advice, and championing a clear vision of women-led high-growth enterprises

bring together diverse stakeholders to facilitate cooperation between the various initiatives across regional, local and national bodies, including combined authority mayors

engage with and make representations to national, regional and local decision makers (such as local councils, combined authority mayors or the government), in support of high-growth women-led enterprises

join up, complement efforts and increase the impact from existing initiatives such as the Rose Review

showcase sustainable solutions which support women from all regions to start a high-growth enterprise, including utilising the expertise and support of business incubators

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