The stage is set for an extraordinary showcase of female business brilliance as the everywoman Entrepreneur Awards, in association with BGF, launches their search for the UK's most exceptional women in business. 

Female entrepreneurs have until 16th June 2025 to submit their entries to the UK's longest-running recognition programme for women in business, which spotlights Britain's most inspirational female entrepreneurs from all ages, backgrounds and corners of the UK.

Born from a mission to celebrate incredible women and open doors to funding, growth opportunities and valuable connections, these awards have become a life-changing springboard for countless female entrepreneurs since their inception in 2003.

Past finalists and winners have used the awards as a stepping stone to increase their profile, build partnerships and secure successful commercial deals.  

Despite the enormous progress made in the intervening years, the funding gap and lack of female role models remain an enduring barrier to women starting and growing their businesses. Only 2.8p of every £1 of equity investment in the UK goes to fully female-founded businesses[1]. Meanwhile, just 6% of high-growth enterprises are wholly or majority-led by women[2].

everywoman remains at the forefront of the drive to change these statistics, working with government, industry bodies and the corporate sector to accelerate the rate of progress and remove the barriers to women accessing funding, growth and scaling opportunities.

The everywoman Entrepreneur Award winners will be announced on 2nd December at The Londoner, Leicester Square. To find out more about the awards or to nominate yourself or someone you know, visit www.everywoman.com/entrepreneur-awards

Viviane Paxinos, CEO at everywoman, comments: "For more than two decades, the everywoman Entrepreneur Awards have provided a platform to celebrate and champion women in business. However, they do more than celebrate success; they ignite it. By amplifying the incredible stories of female entrepreneurs, we're not just recognising achievement, we're creating a powerful ripple effect that inspires the next generation of female founders."

Maxine Benson MBE, and Karen Gill MBE, co-founders of everywoman, comment: "everywoman creates a space where women can connect, inspire and lift each other up. Over the years, we've witnessed countless women forge transformative partnerships, secure major funding and strike game-changing commercial deals through connections made here. In an ecosystem where women founders still face tremendous hurdles accessing venture capital, these relationships can be the difference between stagnation and growth."

The judging panel is composed of some of the UK's most successful women in business, alongside VCs and investors who are actively working to close the funding gap through their diverse portfolios. Judges in 2024 included Chrissie Rucker OBE, founder of The White Company, Mandy Nyarko MBE, co-founder of The Discovery School, and Connie Nam, founder of Astrid and Miyu, among many other business leaders from a wide range of entrepreneurial backgrounds and companies. BGF is sponsoring the awards for the fourth consecutive year. 

Andy Gregory, CEO of BGF, comments: "BGF is proud to continue to support the everywoman Entrepreneur Awards, which recognise the exceptional contribution of female founders across the UK and Ireland. BGF has been the most active institutional investor in female powered scaleups over the last five years, investing more than £500 million across these businesses. We look forward once again to celebrating female entrepreneurial talent here in the UK."

Get nominating now @ www.everywoman.com/entrepreneur-awards