Partner Article

S&W partners with Ethical Equity to sponsor tech founders PhD programme

S&W, the leading professional services group, is proud to announce that it has partnered with Ethical Equity to sponsor a 9-month PhD programme designed to support business founders from leading UK institutions.

The programme will include expert-led workshops and aims to democratise access to deep tech spinouts, with a focus on underserved communities and medical professionals. As part of the partnership, S&W is providing 12 AI Simulator licenses, matched by Ethical Equity, to support 24 participants in total. The licenses will provide users with access to a virtual platform for hands-on learning and application of AI in simulated real-world scenarios.

In addition, S&W will be hosting a leadership lunch session, aimed at SME founders and CFOs at The Bristol Festival of Tech, Creativity and Culture on Thursday 9 October, which will include an interactive demonstration of Ethical Equity’s new AI chatbot, designed specifically to help businesses looking to expand into the US. This innovative tool will help tech founders explore international markets and scale their ventures ethically.

Founded in 2020, Ethical Equity exists to improve outcomes for impact-driven businesses such as B Corps and founders from minoritised communities, helping them overcome structural barriers to accessing capital and growth-enabling services.

The latest announcements build on a partnership formed with Ethical Equity in 2023, when S&W was part of Evelyn Partners, which helped build a community of aspiring angel investors in Bristol. The community events were held at the S&W Bristol office, which brought together individuals passionate about getting involved in investing, with a social conscience. 

Ali Kazmi, co-founder of Ethical Equity, said: “Our partnership with S&W has been instrumental in unlocking opportunities for diverse founders. Their proactive support and shared vision have helped us shape impactful programmes that drive real change in the investment ecosystem. We’re excited about this next phase, particularly the launch of the PhD programme, which marks a significant step forward in deepening our research and expanding the reach of our mission.”

Denis Lindsay, chief operations officer, Ethical Equity, said: “At the heart of our mission is a commitment to demystifying the myths around investing and making the ecosystem more accessible. Our partnership with S&W has been a catalyst for this – their openness and proactive approach have helped us reach new audiences and build momentum. We didn’t need to push the door open; it was already wide, and they welcomed us in. The diversity we witnessed at our early events was a clear signal that inclusive innovation is not only possible, but powerful.”

Helen Bassett, regional managing partner at S&W, added: “We are delighted to be expanding our partnership with Ethical Equity by sponsoring the new PhD programme. This partnership reflects our commitment to supporting innovation accessibility for founders alongside impact investment. Together, we are helping build a more inclusive, equitable and dynamic business landscape.

“The partnership between S&W and Ethical Equity represents a powerful alignment of both values and vision. We look forward to continuing our work together to support ethical innovation, empower diverse founders, and shape the future of investment in the UK.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruby .