Women in Sustainability Innovation
Celebrating women pioneering sustainability innovation, this programme is designed to equip female founders with the skills, confidence and networks to accelerate positive change.
Women remain underrepresented in business and entrepreneurship - and especially so in technology and innovation. As it stands, female-owned companies account for just 32% of SMEs in the UK, while a mere 24% of the overall UK STEM workforce identifies as female.
What’s more, research shows that higher representation of women in leadership roles and at Board level leads to stronger sustainability policy and decision making, where economic growth goes hand in hand with social progress and environmental protection.
The CISL Accelerator exists to support and connect diverse groups of founders and entrepreneurs as they push boundaries in sustainability. By joining this programme you will:
- Explore cross sector social and environmental challenges
- Test your commercialisation plans and learn how to mitigate risks in your startup journey
- Gain storytelling skills and insights
- Learn from leading women in business and entrepreneurship through our innovation showroom
- Benefit from tailored coaching on how to build personal resilience
- Hone your negotiation skills to help navigate some of the most challenging industries.
- Perfect your pitch and gain insight on access to funding
- Join a network of likeminded innovators to support your startup journey
- Benefit from 1-2-1 mentor support fitted to your business need
Applications have now closed.
Who should apply?
Women founders of innovative startups that tackle systemic sustainability challenges. Applications are also open to trans and non-binary candidates.
Applicants must be based in England and be available to attend the full six week programme. The online sessions will mostly be delivered on a Tuesday and Thursday, between 13 June – 21 July 2022. There is an approximate time commitment of 2-4 hours per week.
This programme is part funded by the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund, and is available for free to SMEs based in England, with priority given to those in parts of the East of England.
Format
Free accelerator programme, delivered through a series of online workshops, twice a week, with an average time commitment of 2-4 hours per week. Participants will also be invited to attend an in person kick-off session and completion reception in Cambridge.
Key dates
- Applications close Wednesday 11 May
- Programme runs Wednesday 8 June - 27 July 2022
- Programme kick off event, Cambridge, Wednesday 8 June
- Completion reception, Cambridge, Wednesday 27 July
Programme Schedule
Programme launch – Join an in person reception in Cambridge to meet your peers
Week one – Test your sustainability value proposition and develop your sustainability compass
Week two – Share experiences with successful innovators breaking new ground in the industry and explore how to use the Lean Startup approach to mitigate your start-up risks.
Week three – Finance your startup
Week four – Hardwiring personal resilience and sustainable storytelling
Week five – Sustainability systems and negotiating skills
Week six – Pitching – do’s and don’ts and practice, with expert panel feedback.
Week seven – Round off the programme with an in person completion reception at CISL’s new incubator, the Canopy, in Cambridge
Contributors
- Clare Shine, CEO and Director, CISL
- Laetitia Girolami-Boyer, Sustainable Finance Markets Director, BNP Paribas
- Viola Jardon, Senior Programme Manager, CISL
- Emma Fromberg, Course Director, CISL
- Margarita Skarkou, Venture capital investor, 2150
- Angela Honegger, PhD Candidate, University of St. Gallen and External Consultant, Ashoka
- Anna Stetter, Strategy & Business Development, Fenx AG
- Shaunie Brett, Director, Come Across
- Ian Robinson, Head of Product and Design, Cazoo
- Freddie Birley, Founder, Pop
- Lennaert Jonkers, Venture Partner and Entrepreneur, Social Impact Capital and DevelopMinded
- Irene Maffini, Accelerator Portfolio Director, Sustainable Ventures
- Alina Klarner, Head of Ventures, Impact Shakers
- Dama Sathianathan, Partner, Communities and Networks, Bethnal Green Ventures
- Roderick Beer, Managing Director, UK Business Angels Association
- Ncheta DaSilva, Founder, Zola Eve
- Paul Rous, Managing Director, Regenerate Ventures
Showcased Innovators
- Elsa Marie D’Silva, Founder / President, Red Dot Foundation & Safecity
- Thaslima Begum, Founder, TEEK TAKA
- Isabelle Gough, Co-founder and CEO, Cercula
- Josephine Philips, Founder and CEO, SOJO