More than 120 female entrepreneurs formed a long line outside of Virgin Hotels London in Shoreditch, who wanted to pitch their business ideas to the “Lift of Dreams” for International Women’s Day.
The initiative, led by Sir Richard Branson and entrepreneur Simon Squibb, suggests founders Lever a pitch of 60 seconds Via Videobell in the hope of receiving global exposure and constructive feedback.
The special event was organized by co-founders of Aila Money, Nitika Vyas and Elisabeth Prager, who want to bring the barriers to women to set up companies. With reference to statistics that show that less than 20 percent of British companies are led by women and that only 2p of every £ 1 of venture capital goes to female companies that they can keep that a lack of financial trust can keep many promising entrepreneurs back.
Simon Squibb, known for defending aspiring entrepreneurs, praised the various rise and said that it should “inspire women everywhere” to share their dreams. Vyas and Prager, who launched Aila Money: your money PT to enable women with financial know-how, wanted the Shoreditchwater to illustrate the energy and potential of female founders. According to Vyas, the event helped to show that when women feel confident, they “can wrap the building” with their ambition.
All pitches submitted to the lift of dreams appear on the HelpbNK platform, allowing founders to attract networks with fellow entrepreneurs and attract potential investors. The top ten also receive guidance from Virgin Startup, a non-profit arm of the Virgin Group that focuses on supporting new companies. Since 2013, Virgin Startup has spent more than £ 80 million on starting loans, with a special focus on bridging the gap of sex financing by a 50/50 promise for male and female founders.
Diana Greenhalgh, Operations Lead at Virgin Startup, believes that the event is a perfect example of how Internationale Women’s Day should be celebrated: by creating tangible opportunities for companies led by women. Participants not only gained visibility for their ideas, but also underline the importance of financial literacy and self -confidence in continuing female entrepreneurship.