Lifted Ventures, a North investment group focused on boosting female entrepreneurs, is urging public-sector intervention to unlock economic potential. The organisation, founded by Jordan Dargue and Helen Oldham, says the UK’s investment system is failing regional female founders.
Despite years of initiatives and commitments to improve access to finance, all-female founding teams still receive just 2% of UK equity investment in 2025, according to the British Business Bank. Lifted Ventures, which has bases in Leeds and Newcastle, launched its Female Founder Co-Investment Campaign at the Athena Festival 2026 in Leeds.
Targeted investment achievements
The campaign highlights Lifted Ventures’ achievements since its incorporation three years ago. Its targeted investment has led to 42 investment rounds, helping facilitate more than £32m into female-founded businesses, while also bringing 112 women angel investors into its network.
Meanwhile, it has 391 women in its growing investment community and 432 female founders have been supported to grow and access investment. Despite the progress, the Athena Festival heard how the national funding gap remains stubbornly unchanged.
Call for co-investment model
Ms Dargue said: “We are at risk of mistaking activity for progress. We have helped unlock £32m, supported hundreds of female founders and brought more women into angel investing. Yet female founders still receive just 2% of UK equity investment. That is a market failure.
“We don’t have a shortage of ambitious founders or investors willing to back them. We have a funding system that isn’t delivering. At Athena, we set out a simple proposition: for every £1 of public money invested, unlock £1 of private capital. That means £5m of public investment could become £10m backing female-founded businesses.
“We are calling on Government, public-sector funding bodies and investment institutions to work alongside angel investors and syndicates to establish dedicated regional co-investment funds to accelerate progress in closing the funding gap.
“This is not a diversity agenda. This is an economic growth agenda. Every investable business that cannot access capital is a missed opportunity to create jobs, drive innovation and generate economic growth.”
Structural failure
Lifted Ventures said a £1-for-£1 co-investment model could significantly increase capital available to female-founded businesses while encouraging more private investors to participate.
Ms Oldham added: “We have spent three years proving that the founders, investors and opportunities exist. But individual successes cannot fix structural failure.
“We have helped bring more women into angel investing, built a growing investment community and supported hundreds of ambitious businesses. Now we need to unlock the capital that will allow them to scale. Public-sector investment has the potential to mobilise private capital, share risk and deliver lasting economic value across the UK.
“We don’t need more conversation, or data about the funding gap. We need the investment mechanisms to close it.”
