What would you do if someone gave you £10,000 worth of support for your business?
It's pretty rare that a company will reach $1 billion without listing themselves on the stock market, and that figure is the dream of any tech startup - it’s why we refer to them as Unicorn companies.
But what's even rarer than a Unicorn, is a female-founded Unicorn.
It’s why Bruntwood SciTech, one of Leeds’ most exciting tech hubs, is paving the way for female founders to access the support they deserve - and they’re offering a whopping giveaway worth over £50,000 to help you get your business off the ground with an accelerator-style support programme.
For women, it appears that one of the best ways to accelerate potential and growth is through a business accelerator.
Only 38% of all UK accelerator attendees have a female founder. / Image: Platform, Bruntwood SciTech
According to a recent review of female entrepreneurship, fully female-founded High Growth Enterprises are most likely to have grown through an accelerator, and this is the only method of growth to have more representation of women entrepreneurs.
It's all about support, innovation and growth amongst like-minded individuals and businesses, and it can do wonders for female-founded companies.
Women are also more likely to seek this support on their journey, just over a quarter of fully male-founded companies have attended an accelerator meeting whilst 56% of fully female-founded companies have attended an accelerator programme.
According to company insight platform Crunchbase, just 12% of Unicorns in 2021 had either female founders or co-founders.
Whilst we don't all need to be Unicorns, when there's endless opportunities for startups in the UK, it just doesn't make sense that women are under represented - especially when female-led businesses are proven time and time again to generate higher revenues, outperform their male counterparts, and have significantly lower failure rates, according to recent MIT research.
At the moment, eight of the top 10 accelerators for female entrepreneurs are headquartered in London, but there's no reason why Leeds' can't be a secondary business hub to the capital.
In recent years alone the city has flourished with fintech and business investment from international companies big and small, and we're sure that this is only the beginning for our beloved city.
But innovation needn't be limited by location nor gender, it should be about nurturing great ideas and business growth.
Platform is ‘the home of tech’ in Leeds. / Image: Bruntwood SciTech
Deb Hetherington, Head of Innovation Services at Bruntwood SciTech believes that it's a collective responsibility to bring powerful female figures to the front of the business, science and technology world:
"In order to support the next generation of female founders, leaders and entrepreneurs, we all have a part to play. From local councils, successful founders, large corporates, and educators."
"Investors argue there aren’t enough female founders to invest in, central government sings a similar tune, but all entities are looking for fully formed successful female founders. This is the problem; we need to go back several steps to design a pipeline, a defined pathway for female founders to try, and fail, and to try again."
“In order to support the next generation of female founders, leaders and entrepreneurs, we all have a part to play. From local councils, successful founders, large corporations, and educators. That’s why we have recently designed a Female Founders Incubator, launching during Leeds Digital Festival in September at the home of tech in Leeds, Platform.”
The Female Founders Incubator programme
To support the next generation, Bruntwood SciTech is looking to support five female business owners, entrepreneurs and founders through their The Female Founders Incubator programme.
This specially-designed programme has been built to provide female entrepreneurs across West Yorkshire with tailored, expert support to grow, expand and scale according to your own business and personal needs.
Bruntwood is offering the ultimate support package for Female-led businesses. / Image: Bruntwood SciTech
The five successful candidates will be given access to the following from Bruntwood free of charge:
1:1 mentoring with successful CEOs
Access to professional services experts across marketing, legal, accounting and funding support
Peer-2-peer sessions
6 months FREE desk space, plus 50% off for the following 6 months
To enter Bruntwood's Female Founders Incubator programme with support worth more than £10,000 per person,click here.
Spend six months at Leeds’ tech hub, Platform. / Image: Bruntwood SciTech
And that's just the beginning...
Bruntwood is a collaborative workspace that allows like minded individuals to come together at both formal networking events and informal coffee mornings. By working at Platform, you'll receive exclusive access to at least 24 events and dedicated 1:1 support from professional services experts and Bruntwood SciTech's extensive partner network.
The programme is supported by successful founders and CEOs who will mentor five early stage female founders throughout the six month incubation period including award winning CEOs Zandra Moore and Anna Sutton from local scaling tech companies.
Partners including Law Firm Berwin Digital, Marketing specialists Social, and female focussed funding specialists Fund Her North will provide bespoke advice and support, and Bruntwood SciTech will facilitate the programme, coordinating all activity and providing free desk space to the successful entrepreneurs.
Sarah Hex, Member of Fund her North said: "Fund Her North wants to improve access to funding for female-led businesses in the North of England through start-up, scale and exit. The Bruntwood SciTech Female Founders Incubator is exactly the kind of programme we want to support. In order to create a successful pipeline of investable female founders, we need an increase in this kind of activity."
How to apply for the Female Founders Incubator programme
In order to be in with the chance of being one of the five recipients of the support and mentoring from Bruntwood SciTech's Female Founder Incubator programme, all you need to do is head to the dedicated Female Founder Incubator website and fill in a few questions about your business and tell the judges why would you (and your business) be a good addition to the Tech Hub community at Bruntwood SciTech.
Applications will close on Thursday 8th September, so make sure you get your application in quickly for review.
To enter Bruntwood SciTech's Female Founders Incubator programme with support worth up to £10,000,click here.
Apply now to secure your entry for the Female Founders Incubator programme. / Image: Bruntwood SciTech
Bruntwood SciTech is asking that all applicants are available for a virtual interview on Monday 12 September in the afternoon and those that are successful in receiving one of the five spaces on the Female Founders Incubator will be invited to a launch event and lunch on Tuesday 27 September 2022.
The program and access to desk space will begin from Monday 3 October.
The full details on how to enter, including all of the small print, can be found on the here.
Feature Image- Bruntwood SciTech
Feature
The best bakeries in Leeds serving everything from crusty loaves to flakey croissants
If you're got a sweet tooth, then you're going to want to keep reading.
Oh Leeds, if there's one thing we're good at - it's baking.
Just walking around the city you'll bump into delightful bakeries offering sweet treats galore, and you'll find even better gems when you venture into the suburbs.
We've rounded up a handy little guide for you to make your way through when you're looking to treat yourself to a cheeky baked good, which should be every day if we're being honest.
So, without further ado let's dive into the best bakeries in Leeds.
Bake
Mustard Approach, Mustard Wharf
Images: The Hoot Leeds
From the team behind Things in Bread and Doh'hut comes this absolutely beautiful bakery by the water.
Led by mastermind Tom, they're serving up great British bakes but with a refined twist. Think ultra cheesy cheese twists, sticky school cake and unbeatable sausage rolls.
Fat Pigeon Bakery
406 Broad Lane, Leeds LS13 3DF
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Fat Pigeon is a micro-bakery in Bramley that opens every Saturday to queues of adoring fans. And it’s no surprise why, as here you’ll find some of the very best bakes - from croissants to cinnamon buns - that Leeds has to offer. Oh, and owner Ruth is about as lovely as they come too.
Fold
62 Brussels Street, LS9 8AB
Images: The Hoot Leeds
From the absolute masterminds behind The Cheesy Living Co. comes Fold, a hidden bakery serving up from under the arches every Saturday morning.
You can get your chops around their famous focaccia, stuffed sausage rolls, cookies, sarnies, bagels and the creme de le creme for us: the foot-long three-cheese twist.
Underground Bakery
Call Lane
Images: The Hoot Leeds
If you're after a really great almond croissant, then you've got to get yourself to Underground Bakery. They're serving a whole array of baked goods but doing them all really, really well.
Right in the centre of town, it's a great spot to swing by on your way to work because everyone deserves a midweek croissant every now and again.
Laynes
New Station Street
Images: The Hoot Leeds
This one probably doesn't need any introduction, as Laynes bakery are known amongst the city for their exceptional bakes and it's not hard to see why.
They stock a number of coffee shops across Leeds but for the true experience, pop in and enjoy a bake alongside a cup of their fabulous coffee.
Nova
Leeds Dock
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Nova Bakehouse is a beautiful sun drenched spot that serve up irresistible morning buns, chewy cookies and speciality bread.
They focus on 'flavour forward baking' using seasonal ingredients to create monthly specials that'll have you going back time and time again.
Oh, and they've been named one of the best bakeries in the UK by The Good Food Guide two years running now - so you know it's good.
These guys have really made a mark for themselves since opening, and have cured all of LS6’s sweet tooth cravings and caffeine fixes.
You'll find everything from stacked brownies and blondies to incredible red velvet cookie pies, and how could we forget their savoury options too?
Chunk
174 Kirkstall Hill
Images: The Hoot Leeds
If cookies are your kryptonite, then Chunk is where you need to be.
From baking inside her student shared house to opening her very first bakery, the last few years have been a whirlwind for owner Amy Bennett- and there's really no stopping her now.
Her gooey NYX-style cookies are out of this world, served with great drinks to match.
The Savvy Baker
Albion Street
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Again, this one needs absolutely no introduction. A Leeds staple that has been curing sweet toothed brownie-lovers for years, it's The Savvy Baker.
Their new site in the city centre is truly one to behold, baking cookies on site and whipping up speciality matchas from a dedicated matcha bar - you don't want to miss it.
Karpaty Bakery
Leeds Kirkgate Market
Images: The Hoot Leeds
This traditional Polish bakery inside the market is selling some of the cheapest bakes you can get your hands on. Their authentic donuts are as big as your head and the perfect sweet treat that won't break the bank.
Street Lane Bakery
399 Street Lane
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Hidden away just behind Street Lane, is Street Lane Bakery.
These guys have been baking up a storm in the kitchen for over a decade, from their ever-so-famous home-cooked bagels to the sweetest of treats.
Slow Rise Bakery
Sunnybank Avenue, Horsforth
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Can't get over to New York but craving a proper chewy, stacked bagel with all the trimmings? Slow Rise Bakery is the only answer.
Pick your flavour bagel from sesame to everything and then pick your fillings, we'd recommend going for lashings of cream cheese and layers of smoked salmon. Delicious.
The Leeds Chilli Shop selling sauces so hot they come with a warning
Clementine Hall
If you think you can handle your spice, then there’s one shop in Leeds that will put that to the test.
Tucked away on Merrion Street, Chilli Shop has been a staple of the Leeds high street for over a decade.
First opening back in 2014, Chilli Shop was founded by Frank Jay and has built a reputation as one of the city’s most wonderfully niche (and hottest) destinations.
It's basically a shrine to all things hot, a proper haven of everything spicy to get your tastebuds tingilng.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
We're talking everything from chilli hot sauces and jams to chocolate, cheese, dried chillies and even novelty gifts perfect for the chilli lover in your life.
But what they're most famous for is a shelf fully dedicated to the Youtube hit Hot Ones, a show where celebrities are pushed to the limit and served hot wings coated in a variety of hot sauces from mild to blow-your-head-off hot.
So if you've ever watched that show and wanted to have a go yourself, this shop stocks all the sauces so you can be the star of your own Hot Ones episode.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Best of all, you can try before you buy. Free, heat-rated tasters are available, meaning you can work your way up from “that’s got a bit of a kick” to “I can no longer feel my face”.
We can't promise there's any milk or ice cream on hand though, so get tasting at your own risk.
So whether you’re looking for a new sauce, a spicy gift for your mate or simply want to discover exactly how much pain your tastebuds can withstand, the Chilli Shop is one Leeds independent that deserves a visit.
Sophie Smith -
25th August 2022 
