Innovate UK launches Women in Innovation Awards 2018

Innovate UK is now searching for inspirational businesswomen to participate in the Women in Innovation Awards 2018. 

The innovation agency, which is part of UK Research and Innovation, is aiming to find women with ambitious and inspiring ideas that will tackle the biggest challenges of the government’s Industrial Strategy.

Support

The Women in Innovation Awards 2018 will focus on female business leaders who are helping to deliver artificial intelligence and a data economy, tackling challenges related to an ageing society, creating clean growth and helping to develop the future of mobility.

Innovate UK is inviting female founders, co-founders and senior decision-makers from companies that have been in operation for at least a year to apply for the competition, with applicants being required to provide a written application that will be assessed by experts.

Applicants will then be interviewed by a panel of experts, with eight women being selected to win a £50,000 grant and bespoke mentoring, coaching and business support for one year.

The Women in Innovation Awards was first launched in 2016 and has helped to boost the number of female applicants registering for funding, with an increase of 70% since its introduction.

This year’s awards will include a wider programme of support for female innovators, with the competition offering quarterly workshops to boost the potential of women across the UK.

Determined

Commenting on Innovate UK’s support for female entrepreneurs, the innovation agency’s Executive Chair Ian Campbell said that they are determined to support women who have the potential to become Britain’s next successful innovators in business.

He added that the awards are aiming to help close the innovation diversity gap and to bring fresh ideas to tackle the large challenges that are set out in the Industrial Strategy.