Lifted Ventures extends investment partnership

An investment initiative aimed at increasing diversity in early-stage funding has secured extended backing to support more female founders and angel investors.

Lifted Ventures has extended its partnership with the British Business Bank for a further year to continue expanding its angel investment network across the UK.

The collaboration aims to increase regional investment activity while encouraging more women to become angel investors, helping improve access to funding for female-led businesses.

According to the organisations, women currently make up only around 14 per cent of UK angel investors, despite evidence showing diverse investor groups are more likely to support female-founded companies.

The renewed partnership will focus on strengthening regional investment ecosystems outside traditional financial centres, giving aspiring investors and founders greater access to networks, education and funding opportunities.

Jordan Dargue, co-founder of Lifted Ventures, said: “Extending our partnership with the British Business Bank is a powerful signal of what sustained collaboration can achieve. 

“We’ve seen a strong appetite for angel investing among women across the regions, and this next phase allows us to build on that momentum, ensuring more capital, confidence and capability flows into the places and founders who need it most.” 

Susan Nightingale, director – devolved nations at British Business Bank, added: “Supporting a more diverse and dynamic angel market is central to our mission of improving access to finance for growing businesses.  

“Through our continued partnership with Lifted Ventures, we can support innovative ways to bring new investors into the ecosystem and expand opportunities for female founders across the UK.”

Lifted Ventures will continue delivering structured investment education and facilitation programmes designed to help new angel investors build confidence and deploy capital.

The initiative also aims to address long-standing gaps within the UK’s early-stage funding landscape, where limited access to angel investment can prevent high-potential female founders from progressing to later-stage funding rounds.

Both organisations say the partnership will help create a more inclusive and geographically balanced investment ecosystem across the UK.

Helen Oldham, co-founder of Lifted Ventures, added: “This partnership is about systemic change. 

“By activating more women as angel investors and strengthening regional networks, we are helping to create a more inclusive investment landscape that better reflects the full breadth of entrepreneurial talent in the UK. 

“We are delighted to be partnering with The British Business Bank again.”

Vicky Mears, director UK network – Midlands and North of England at British Business Bank, added: “Building stronger regional angel investment capacity is central to developing more connected and resilient ecosystems across the UK. 

“By deepening the alignment between investors, local networks, and regional growth ambitions, we can help ensure that promising founders wherever they are based are better able to access the capital and support they need to grow and scale.” 

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