Women’s Business Station Secures Place on Social Enterprise Accelerator

A programme which exists to support women in business has been selected to take part in Scotland’s Social Enterprise Accelerator.

Dundee-based Women’s Business Station is one of eight social enterprises chosen to participate in LaunchMe, delivered by Scotland’s social enterprise start-up agency, Firstport.

Women’s Business Station supports women on their business journey, empowering them to achieve their goals, whether big or small. The programme will help Women’s Business Station’s continuity plans and, longer-term, support its ambitious, 10 year drive to be positioned in five towns or cities across Scotland, aiming to enhance the socio-economic empowerment of 10,000 women in Scotland by 2030.

Angie De Vos, Chief Executive Officer of Women’s Business Station said, “We are absolutely delighted to have been selected to take part in the LaunchMe programme. This is not just about funding, it’s about engaging with key advisors and experts who will help us turn our vision into a reality in the months and years ahead, plans which will transform the futures of thousands of women, creating significant social and economic benefits for the rest of Scotland.”

LaunchMe helps ambitious social enterprises achieve scale by getting them investment ready and directly connecting them with investors looking for social as well as financial returns. In addition to initial seed funding of £10K, Women’s Business Station will now have the opportunity to apply for grant funding as co-investment to match any private investment they secure during the programme.

LaunchMe is supported by the Scottish Government, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and Barclays bank. Other social enterprises joining Women’s Business Station on the programme include a farming academy, gym and wellbeing service for parents, zero-waste retailer and wholesaler.

Josiah Lockhart, Chief Executive of Firstport said, “This is the fifth intake into LaunchMe and, as with every previous round, we have been impressed and excited by the quality and ambition of the social enterprises that have applied. In the coming months, we will support these eight exciting propositions to get investment ready and connect them with our pool of social investors, so they can secure the capital they need to achieve their plans. LaunchMe participants from previous rounds have raised over £1mil from private investment along with £1mil of institutional and grant co-investment. We cannot wait to see what these participants go on to achieve!”

For more information, visit www.businessstation.co.uk or www.firstport.org.uk