BGF backs new accelerator to fast-track female-led business growth

Female founders and business leaders face entrenched bias, limited access to networks, and a massive funding gap: across the UK, just 1% of private investment is directed toward women-led businesses. This ‘leaky pipeline’ blocks innovation and growth at every stage, despite clear evidence that female-founded businesses deliver higher revenues, create more jobs, are more sustainable, and drive greater returns on investment.

FFinc, an association of women and businesses dedicated to the financial, career and personal advancement of women, has already built year-long tech accelerators with KPMG, supported hundreds of women to grow businesses globally with HSBC, and helped 20% of its most recent accelerator cohort secure funding – 10x the industry average. Now, they’re doubling down on what works.

This September, FFinc will launch its Forward Faster Accelerator, a comprehensive six-month programme, designed to supercharge 100 of the UK’s most ambitious female-founded businesses. In partnership with BGF, HSBC, Wilson Sonsini, Thrive Partners, Square, Elementaryb, Block, Atlantic Pacific and Streets Consulting, the accelerator moves beyond traditional mentorship, to deliver capital access, commercial readiness, strategic scale support, and visibility.

Unlike with conventional accelerators, Forward Faster participants will benefit from the combined talents, tools, and teamwork of FFinc’s business partners, as well as investors, sector specialists, and exited, female founders-turned-mentors (known as ‘Driving Forces’). The multiplier effect of uniting all these forces in one ecosystem – and 100 powerhouse entrepreneurs, working side-by-side – is set to drive growth, accelerate commercial outcomes, and deliver long-term results.

Jill Williams, Partner at BGF, said: “BGF has been the most active investor in female-led scaleups in the UK for over five years, but there’s more we want to do. Through the Forward Faster Accelerator, we’re sharing the insight of our investor network, to help founders scale confidently, understand the value of growth capital, and build lasting impact.

“This initiative reflects BGF’s broader commitment to inclusive entrepreneurship, and we’re proud to collaborate with FFinc and fellow partners, to create a more equitable, dynamic future for female-powered businesses.”

Each founder on the Forward Faster programme will be paired with a Driving Force: a world-class operator with real experience of scaling ventures. From GoHenry Co-Founder Louise Hill to healthtech pioneer Amber Vodegel and environmental impact guru Sian Sutherland, these leaders bring unmatched experience and cross-sector access – and will act as embedded collaborators to the programme’s participants.

“Through our years of work in this sphere, we’ve found that, if you only focus on capital, you can’t fix the story,” commented Tamara Gillan, Founder of FFinc.

“You need to connect funding with education, access, scale – and a community that helps women go further, faster. At FFinc, we don’t sit back and observe. We build, we partner, we listen. Every programme and every partnership makes us and our ecosystem smarter, sharper, and better equipped to shift the dial.”

Calling the 100

Applications to join the Forward Faster Accelerator are open now. If you’re a high-growth, female-powered business, with the ambition to scale – and the grit to move fast – FFinc wants to hear from you.

Participants will have access to:

• C-Factor mentorship
• Investor readiness clinics
• Growth infrastructure strategy
• Founder fitness sessions
• High-value ecosystem collaborations
• Targeted visibility via media, digital campaigns, and live events

Find out more and apply here.