Five models that support women founders, and the incentives behind each

What to take away

The five models side by side

Investing in Women Code signatories

The Investing in Women Code is a government-backed framework. Signatories collect gender-disaggregated data and review their lending and investment processes. Barclays, NatWest, Lloyds, Santander and HSBC are among the UK signatories. The Investing in Women Code annual report lists current partners and their commitments.

Incentive: reputation, better data and a wider deal pipeline. A pledge is not a product guarantee, so check the lender's live eligibility rules and rates. Revenue usually comes from interest, fees or fund returns, so read how funders price and get paid before comparing headline rates.

Innovate UK Women in Innovation

Innovate UK funds eligible founders against a policy objective, usually with training or mentoring attached. Women in Innovation ran a 2026 cohort across selected sectors.

Award values and round status sit in each published competition, so any historical sum, such as the roughly £50,000 seen in earlier rounds, is indicative only. Confirm the amount on the live competition page; Innovate UK's own page explains its role and links to open competitions.

Incentive: policy goals and non-dilutive project money. Constraint: fixed scope, timetable, assessment and delivery duties. Check eligibility and the deadline before drafting.

Ada Ventures

Ada Ventures is a UK venture firm that backs overlooked founders, including women, at pre-seed and seed. Its Inclusive Alpha thesis names women alongside other under-represented groups. Fund size, cheque range and stage tests sit in its fund documents, so read those rather than a marketing page.

Incentive: management fees and carried interest, which ties its income to fund returns. Constraint: stage, geography and return requirements narrow eligibility. Check whether "for women" means a woman chief executive, an ownership threshold or an investment lens. The operating models behind each provider are compared in more depth elsewhere.

Hatch Enterprise

Hatch Enterprise is a London-based charity that runs accelerator and incubator programmes for under-represented founders, including women. It supplies education, peer support and introductions, and some programmes add a grant, stipend or investment. Cohort size and grants vary, so ask for current terms.

Incentive: grants, corporate sponsors and public contracts, which reward demonstrable participant outcomes. Constraint: places are limited and selection is competitive. Ask how participants are chosen and which results were independently tracked.

Enterprise Nation

Enterprise Nation is a UK small business network and marketplace. It connects founders to advisers, events and suppliers, and earns from membership fees and partner commissions. Advisers may charge fixed fees, hourly rates, success fees or provider commission.

Incentive: membership income and partner commissions. Constraint: commercial incentives can shape the shortlist you see. Ask for written disclosure of fees, provider coverage, data sharing and who owns the submitted claim.

Verifying a provider before you commit

Work through this checklist before sharing records or signing.

If the right answer is "do not apply", would the provider still be paid? Settle that before you share anything.

Headline totals hide the median result, so read metrics that separate access from outcomes before comparing two providers.

Common questions

Which five models does this article cover?

The Investing in Women Code, Innovate UK Women in Innovation, Ada Ventures, Hatch Enterprise and Enterprise Nation. Each has a different revenue source, evidence standard and limit.

Which of them can actually give money?

Only two move capital on terms. Innovate UK awards non-dilutive grants through open competitions, and Ada Ventures invests equity at pre-seed and seed. The Code, Hatch and Enterprise Nation do not lend or invest directly.

How do I verify a provider?

Check the FCA Register for permissions, Companies House for filings and directors, and the live competition page for grant terms. For a blended service, unbundle who educates, recommends, arranges, decides and supplies the money.

What should I ask before signing?

Ask who pays the provider, how outcomes are measured, what the participant count is, and whether any fee or commission was disclosed in writing.