CAMPUS ENTREPRENEURS MOVING
THE GENDER BALANCE IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION
There has been a lot of debate recently around female
entrepreneurship and the reasons why there are so few
women in technology. Here at The University of Manchester
we have seen quite the opposite and hope that our activities
are supporting a reversal of this trend, and give rise to an
increase in not just female led technology companies but
ones right across the board.
"In conjunction with our partners we have been
driving a number of support activities that have
seen an incredible response from our female
entrepreneurs with ideas for campus start-ups
seeking support. We want to stimulate more
gender and minority balance in our businesses.
Studies show that companies with different
points of view, market insights and approaches
to problem solving have higher sales, more
customers and larger market share than their
less-diverse rivals
1
," said Tony Walker Director of
UMIP's Innovation Optimiser.
UMIP and Manchester Enterprise Centre have
been working closely with social entrepreneur
support network UnLtd, stimulating social start-
ups based on campus and hosting the Women
Supporting Women Social Entrepreneurs (WSSE)
a network of like-minded women from across
Greater Manchester, operating across the
North West, who use their collective energies
to support each other to support other female
social entrepreneurs. Nickala Torkington,
Partnership Manager at UnLtd said: "I think
women make great catalysts for change and
through WSSE which is a relatively new initiative
I've been developing with others, we have a
growing network of more than 100 women
change makers bringing diversity, experience
and social and ethical perspectives to support
and mentor others. Many of our members are
from within The University of Manchester, UMIP
has been a great exponent and supporter of
ours and Alliance Manchester Business School
are sponsoring mentor training for the group."
Professor Vikas Shah co-president of TiE UK
North and Visiting Professor (MIT Sloan, Lisbon)
who has been a great champion and provider
of mentoring to a number of campus based
female entrepreneurs, including Dr Ruth Daniel
of IPOW, said: "The University of Manchester
has an impressive amount of hugely talented
female leaders in all fields of science and the
humanities, alongside the University itself
being led by Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell,
who is one of the most inspiring people you
will ever meet! The University celebrates
entrepreneurship as an engine of growth,
and does so in an inclusive way – meaning
that gender, ethnicity and so on simply do
not play a part in your access to, or support
from initiatives. The huge success of female
entrepreneurs and academics has though,
without a doubt, created momentum to inspire
many other women to follow in their footsteps,
achieving really great things."
We have also recently added the Innovation
Optimiser to empower more of our campus
innovators to develop and build their business.
