Partner Article

Shifting the dial on women-led business growth: The Whole Point

The Whole Point
www.thewholepoint.co.uk
LinkedIn: The Whole Point

The North East is home to a wealth of ambitious women-led businesses – yet many continue to see their growth ambitions stymied by a funding landscape slanted towards male-led organisations. The Whole Point, however, is working to shift the investment dial and channel more capital into high-growth, women-led businesses in the region. Here, members of its Newcastle board tell N magazine why closing the funding gap has the potential to transform the region’s commercial landscape.

Nearly a fifth of Newcastle businesses are women-led, but only 6.7 per cent of investment funding flows their way¹.

The Whole Point’s Newcastle board, led by chair Debra Leeves and vice-chair Nina Walton, has made it its mission to increase the funding share women-led businesses in Newcastle receive and inspire more women to set up and scale.

The Whole Point is a UK-wide, Government-aligned initiative focused on increasing the flow of capital to high-growth, women-led businesses.

Backed by Lloyds and working alongside data partner The Data City, The Whole Point moves beyond performative allyship and well-intentioned gestures, focusing instead on data, ecosystems and collective action to drive meaningful economic change.

The opportunity is huge.

In 2019, the Rose Review² found closing the funding gap for women-led businesses could add £250 billion to the UK economy – that figure rises to more than £310 billion if adjusted for inflation.

Zandra Moore, The Whole Point’s co-founder, says: “I’ve been in too many rooms where there has been lots of nice talking.

“We need to act.

“If we close the funding gap, that’s more money for the economy and more money for jobs, so everybody wins.”

The Whole Point’s Newcastle board hosted its launch party in The Biscuit Factory’s stunning Garden Room, with support from event sponsors Lloyds, Perspective Financial Group, Square One Law and The Biscuit Factory.

More than 100 leaders, investors, connectors and allies were treated to motivating opening remarks from Zandra and a lively panel discussion between Debra, Nina and fellow Newcastle board members Michelle Jones, Joanne Lant and Maxine Fox.

Their ambition is clear: to help more high-growth, women-led businesses scale.

The objective will be measured by increasing the capital invested into Newcastle’s high-growth, women-led businesses by five per cent, while attracting new funds into the region.

Since its May launch event, the Newcastle board has been busy organising new initiatives and events to connect with female leaders at high-growth businesses in the region.

It is also working hard to boost visibility with banks and North East fundraising decision-makers.

The region has no shortage of female talent, tenacity and commercial potential.

But change is required across the funding system to get women-led businesses the capital they deserve.

On a national level, women-led businesses outperform other businesses on average turnover growth, revenue per pound invested, job creation, social responsibility and more.

Imagine what could be achieved if that impact could scale.

The Whole Point also operates regional boards in Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds and Liverpool, so that funding, data and decision-making for high-growth, women-led businesses reaches beyond London.

Each board has delivered tailored programming responsive to its local ecosystem, and new members are always welcome.

For more information on The Whole Point, and to find out how you can join its ecosystem to offer your support to the UK’s women-led businesses, as well as the country’s wider economy, visit the website at the top of this article.

1 – Information taken from The Data City analysis; April 2026
2 - Landmark review sparks action to boost number of female entrepreneurs; www.gov.uk, March 2019

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