In a significant stride towards gender equality in the business world, Female Founder Finance, a newly established boutique corporate finance firm, is on a mission to improve access to finance for women entrepreneurs. Founded by Roxanne Goodman and Martine Catton, the firm is based in Long Eaton and aims to bridge the gap in funding opportunities for female-led businesses.

Roxanne Goodman emphasized the economic potential, stating, “As highlighted in The Rose Review if women started and scaled business at the same rate as men, £250 billion could be added to the UK economy. We don’t think that’s just a nice idea — we believe it’s possible.”

Martine Catton highlighted the creation of an ecosystem to support female founders, stating, “We have designed a platform to provide female entrepreneurs access to the same financial support as their male counterparts while removing unconscious gender bias in the process.”

Acknowledging the existing challenges, studies reveal that 35% of women seeking funding have encountered gender bias from financiers. Female Founder Finance aims to change this narrative by offering a platform that ensures female entrepreneurs have access to a wholly female circle of commercial and investment financiers in the UK.

The firm’s strategic end state reflects a broader vision, with the goal to eliminate the need for their services by eradicating gender bias entirely. Female Founder Finance aims to become an industry leader, providing resources and support for female founders and aspiring female entrepreneurs.

Noteworthy founding funders include Lloyds Bank, committed to facilitating discussions on finance needs among female entrepreneurs, and Allica Bank, emphasizing its belief that supporting female-led SMEs is crucial to closing the gender gap in entrepreneurship.

Roxanne Goodman expressed dedication to providing comprehensive support, stating, “We are dedicated to assisting female founders with a comprehensive, bespoke service including access to female finance specialists, professional advisers, and business support services.”

The firm’s commitment to breaking barriers is reinforced by a broad industry support network, including major players in leasing and asset management. Goodman concluded, “The interest and support from across the finance industry…is overwhelming but also humbling. However, this only goes to confirm that this is absolutely the right time to turn the equality dial-up, and together, we can make inequality in access to finance a thing of the past.”