The UK’s ongoing gender funding gap is back in the spotlight as MPs call on the British Business Bank (BBB) to take decisive action. At a recent summit, government representatives urged the Bank to implement quotas on venture capital investment committees—a move designed to unlock more funding for female entrepreneurs.
While the BBB has made strides in recent years—including a £50 million commitment to the Invest in Women Taskforce and ensuring 40% of Start-Up Loan recipients are women—policymakers say it’s time to go further. The current challenge: address not only how much is invested, but who makes those decisions.
At the heart of this push is the idea that diverse investment committees lead to more equitable outcomes. Currently, the majority of VC decision-makers in the UK are male, a factor long linked to the chronic underfunding of women-led businesses.
“The structure of capital allocation is still systemically skewed,” one MP said at the event. “If we want more inclusive entrepreneurship, we need more inclusive gatekeepers.”
This discussion comes as the British Business Bank continues to work alongside the Invest in Women Taskforce to increase the visibility, viability, and funding of women-led businesses across the UK. Quotas—though often controversial—are now gaining traction as a tool for systemic change, not just surface-level support.
As structural reform becomes the next frontier in equity financing, the message is clear: improving access for women isn’t just a policy preference — it’s a national growth strategy.
Further reading:
British Business Bank must do more for female founders, MPs told – The Times
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