Business Gateway launches programme to empower female entrepreneurship across City and Shire

A major new initiative aimed at unlocking the full potential of female entrepreneurship across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire will launch this summer.

Thanks to funding from the Ecosystem Pathways Fund, Business Gateway Aberdeen City and Shire will lead the Building Female Founders Programme from August 1 to March 31 next year.

It will deliver a targeted, relationship-led programme designed to support women at every stage of their entrepreneurial journey, with a particular focus on women with early-stage ideas and in their first two years of business. 

Developed in response to clear regional demand, the programme will tackle the persistent under-representation of women in business growth by offering tailored, accessible support designed around the realities and challenges women face.

While Business Gateway data shows that 60% (863) of supported start-ups in the past two years were female-led, just 10% (91) of those founders progressed into structured, growth-focused one-to-one support. This highlights a critical gap which the new programme is specifically designed to address.

Barriers such as confidence, perceived risk, limited access to networks and practical challenges around travel and caring responsibilities have disproportionately affected women, particularly across Aberdeenshire’s rural communities.

At the heart of the initiative is a dedicated Female Founders business advisor, providing personalised one-to-one coaching alongside access to specialist expertise and peer networks.

The programme itself will deliver:

•    A series of networking events to build confidence and connections
•    Visits to successful women-led businesses across the region
•    Small-scale test and learn grants to support early innovation
•    Access to marketing, digital marketing and branding expertise

Participants will also benefit from structured support in key business areas including sales, finance, growth planning, digital skills and emerging technologies such as AI. Alongside delivery, a targeted outreach campaign will ensure the programme reaches women who may not traditionally engage with business support, including those returning from caring responsibilities, transitioning from employment or living in rural communities.

Delivered by Business Gateway Aberdeen City and Shire in partnership with economic development teams across both councils, the programme aligns with wider priorities to widen participation, reduce economic inactivity and build a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Councillor Alan Turner, chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Infrastructure Services Committee, said: “By creating a supportive, women-centred environment and strengthening connections across the region, Building Female Founders will play a vital role in enabling more women to start, grow and sustain successful businesses, helping to shape a more diverse and dynamic economy for the north-east of Scotland. Early outputs will include tailored one-to-one advisory sessions, specialist marketing and digital support, a structured programme of networking events, site visits to women-led businesses and the allocation of small test and learn grants. These activities will build confidence, accelerate idea development, strengthen business capability and expand access to supportive peer networks.”

Cllr Miranda Radley of Aberdeen City Council added: “The programme has been designed as an inclusive, flexible and participant-led experience, removing barriers around time, location and accessibility. Through a combination of coaching, peer support and practical learning, it aims to build confidence, resilience and long-term engagement in entrepreneurship. Over the longer term, this programme will help rebalance entrepreneurial participation, expand the pipeline of women-led enterprises, and increase the visibility of local role models. We anticipate this will foster a self-sustaining community of female founders who collaborate, share learning and support one another.”

For more information, contact the Business Gateway team direct by calling 01467 535353/01224 472844 or by email at aberdeenshire@bgateway.com or aberdeen@bgateway.com