Meet the finalists: Women Entrepreneurs Pitch Competition

The shortlist for the second Women Entrepreneurs Pitch Competition, highlighting the West Midlands’ best women-led SMEs and start-ups and help plug the gender funding gap, has been revealed.

The competition, delivered by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, is returning for a second year, with partners NatWest and the British Business Bank also backing the initiative.

The four-strong shortlist comprises:

• Wolverhampton-based Eureka Inventions Limited, which aims to make surgery and childbirth safer, starting with an AI-enabled device to prevent the most common cause of avoidable harm.
• Dudley-based Iron & Velvet, who make plastic-free and sustainable cleaning products, aim to reduce single use plastic from their customers’ daily lives.
• Birmingham-based Econominds use AI and gamification to create personalised and streamlined revision resources.
• Stourbridge-based MIXD Reality aim to revolutionise children’s storytelling by blending the magic of Augmented Reality (AR) with inclusive & interactive experiences.

The shortlisting panel included Deb Leary OBE, scale-up director at Innovate UK Business Growth, entrepreneur and former GBCC President, business leader Nigel Hall, NED and mentor to Founder Entrepreneurs in Tech and Innovation start-ups and scale-ups and Sharonjit Clare, chair of  the WMCA Race Equalities Taskforce.

Deb Leary (pictured) said: “Selecting the shortlist was one tough gig. There were a large number of high-quality applicants to the competition. It’s a testament to the calibre of women-led enterprises in the region that there was plenty of healthy debate among the panel.   

“As an entrepreneur myself, I know how challenging it can be accessing the right advice, peer support and investment at the right times to support your business growth. For those who haven’t been shortlisted, I’d encourage them to attend the pitch competition event to connect with and learn from the judges, entrepreneurs and investors in the room as you take your businesses to the next level. I hope to see you there and applying again next year.” 

Henrietta Brealey, chief executive of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “We know there’s a great big gender gap when it comes to angel and VC investment. With the Women Entrepreneurs Pitch Competition we, along with our partners NatWest and the British Business Bank, are looking to help change that.  

“Our shortlist have all been identified for their high growth potential and drawn from diverse sectors such as edu-tech, health-tech to plastic free cleaning solutions.  

“We can’t wait to see the pitches, and announce the winners on 13 November. If you or your organisation can support this region’s brilliant businesses, register your interest in attending via the Chamber website.”

According to The Gender Index, just seven per cent of West Midlands-based companies receiving angel investment and six per cent of those receiving VC investment so far this year are female-led.