Royal Bank of Scotland announced that it will roll out its successful She Scales initiative throughout all of its Accelerator hubs across the UK.
She Scales was begun in the Royal Bank Accelerator Edinburgh hub in response to the landmark Pathways report, which identified that only 2p in every £1 of institutional investment went to women-led businesses and that only one in five of Scotland’s entrepreneurs were women.
The initial Scottish pilot of She Scales was a part of Royal Bank of Scotland’s commitment to the Pathways Forward campaign.
“She Scales brings female entrepreneurs together to build confidence, connections and opportunities,” said RBS. “It combines monthly networking, co-working and practical learning with a digital community that gives founders year-round access to peers, experts and opportunities.
“The announcement follows the successful delivery of monthly events in Edinburgh and a pilot scheme which has seen 68 She Scales events delivered to more than 1,800 entrepreneurs.
“Surveys conducted after the event found that respondents said that She Scales left them more confident or better equipped as a female founder.
“Alongside these events, the Female Founders Community, a UK-wide digital community has grown to 1,900 members in just six months. It provides a 24/7 space for founders and allies to connect, share opportunities and access support beyond local events.
“Last week, the Royal Bank of Scotland hosted the Female Founders Growth Summit, which brought together over 200 leading female entrepreneurs in Edinburgh.”
Julie Shaw-Binns, Royal Bank Edinburgh Accelerator Manager, said: “It is fantastic to see a Scottish success story, started here in the Edinburgh Accelerator hub, now being rolled out across the rest of the UK. We know that so many women have the vision and drive to become successful entrepreneurs, they just need the right support in place to help them to succeed.
“She Scales events have been transformative in helping female founders access networks and build confidence to build their business. These events not only inspire more women to start and scale their own firm but also drives forward our innovation economy.”
Darren Pirie, Head of Royal Bank Accelerator & Partnerships, said: “Women-led businesses are a powerful driver of innovation, job creation and economic growth. Through She Scales, we’re bringing founders together to share expertise, broaden their networks and access opportunities that can help them unlock their next stage of growth.
“By investing in founder communities, we’re helping create the conditions for more businesses to scale successfully and contribute to a stronger, more innovative UK economy. We’re incredibly proud to see the community expanding across the UK, and we’re excited about the role She Scales can play in helping even more women realise their ambitions and scale successful businesses.”
Scottish CEO and founder of Open Cellar, Anna Drysdale said: “She Scales has been a hugely valuable part of my journey as a founder. I’ve made some genuinely useful connections through the programme who have already had a tangible impact on my business.
“It is always reassuring to hear the highs, lows and occasional “what on earth are we doing?” moments from other founders. Building a business is scary, so it’s comforting to know that we’re all navigating very similar rough seas, just in slightly different boats!
“The She Scales sessions have helped me across different areas of starting and growing my business. Most importantly, they’ve made the whole founder experience feel a little less lonely…and that is no small thing!”
Scottish founder Rachel MacKay, Tily Blooms said: “She Scales has been genuinely useful for me. It’s a good space to be around other female founders who actually understand what running a business day to day is like, not just in theory. I’ve made real connections through it and it’s helped my confidence, just having people around who get it.
“I was recently asked to do a fireside chat as part of the programme, which was a nice moment. It shows what She Scales is really about, not just networking, but actually giving founders a platform.”
Scottish business founder Lee Walls, Wild Changer said: “She Scales is my favourite women’s networking event by far. There’s always a great turnout, great conversations in the room and beyond.
“I’ve had the chance to organise a community swim through She Scales, which has been a brilliant way to contribute to the community as well as meet other women building businesses.
“I’m hugely grateful for the opportunities that have come from being part of the accelerator. People talk about community and the importance of it, but She Scales delivers that in buckets.”