UKEF partners with Female Founder Finance to support female entrepreneurs

UK Export Finance (UKEF) and Female Founder Finance have partnered to help more women-owned businesses access export finance support to help grow their business and compete on the international stage.

Having launched in June 2023, Female Founder Finance has handled over £115m worth of funding.

Female Founder Finance works with women who have founded their own businesses and who have been disadvantaged when seeking access to finance.

The partnership will streamline the process for referring eligible businesses into one another’s financing programmes, reducing missed opportunities for women owners.

For example, Female Founder Finance can introduce their clients to UKEF’s short-term products for small exporters, including capital guarantees, bond support guarantees and export insurance policies.

In turn, UKEF can refer female clients to Female Founder Finance where appropriate.

According to the Rose Review, only 6% of UK women run their own businesses, compared to around 15% of women in Canada, almost 11% of women in the USA, and over 9% of women in Australia and the Netherlands.

The report also estimates £250bn could be added to the UK economy if women matched men in receiving business investment.