Helping Women
Succeed in Business
The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and its partners are working at releasing the potential of Women's Enterprise in the South East, which will not only make a significant contribution in rivalling the world's most competitive regions, but will transform the lives of individual women, their families and communities particularly in disadvantaged areas.
SEEDA’s role
By 2010 our target is that there will be 10,000 more women-owned businesses in the region. This is an ambitious goal which reflects our belief that the appetite for enterprise amongst women is huge.
Our plans to achieve this goal include the need to provide access to women-friendly business support and networks in every part of the region; improving women entrepreneurs’ access to finance and markets; improving the provision of flexible child care for women entrepreneurs; helping women overcome their barriers and converting their undoubted interest in enterprise into actual start-ups.
How we are approaching this is detailed in SEEDA’s ‘Realising the Potential of Women’s Enterprise in the South East: A Strategy for the Region’.
To download a copy click here
SEEDA Partners
Business Link in the South East
Whether you are thinking about starting a business, run an existing business that wants to grow, or need advice on how to deal with business issues, challenges or opportunities, Business Link can help.
The Business Link service is an easy-to-use information and advice service. It is coordinated nationally and delivered to you locally. Rather than providing all the advice and help themselves, Business Link puts you in touch with the most appropriate expertise from across the private, public and voluntary support sectors. For access to business information and advice visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/southeast
You can request a call back from your local Business Link, by entering your details online at www.businesslink.gov.uk/southeast/callback
Finance South East
Finance South East helps ambitious companies to grow through direct investment and associated support. Their specialist range of products and services include advice on funding strategy, introductions to funding sources, fund management and mentoring and investor networks. www.financesoutheast.com
Prowess
Prowess is a network of organisations and individuals who support the growth of women's business ownership. Their work encompasses raising awareness, sharing of best practice, advocacy and information. www.prowess.org.uk
Women’s Enterprise Task Force
The Task Force is championing women's enterprise to encourage more women across the country to start and run successful businesses. Through support from Government, Regional Development Agencies and Business Links, the private sector, academia, women's networks / organisations and other support agencies, it is anticipated that the pipeline of women-owned seed, start-up and expansion businesses will increase. www.womensenterprise.co.uk
Ambassadors Network
The Women’s Ambassadors Network provides the opportunity to be part of a wider group of individuals promoting women’s enterprise across the UK, as well as representing our campaign in the South East to inspire and encourage other women to start businesses and develop their careers.
Participation as an Ambassador is up to the individual, and the amount of time you feel able to contribute. Once signed up you will be sent a welcome pack with background information on women’s enterprise in the region, and kept up to date with current issues and developments through an e-newsletter.
For further details or to register your interest click here
Advocates Programme
SEEDA have recruited a group of high level individuals from a wide range of business sectors to help us to raise the profile of women’s enterprise and its importance to the South East economy. This dynamic group of people with a passion for women’s enterprise, come together to help inspire other women to consider starting their own business, and create debate around the perceived barriers to setting up in business.
For further details click here
