What’s in a (top 100) list? The Empower 100, Startups 100 and beyond
The financial strain experienced by underrepresented founders arises from various factors.
Deep-rooted systemic inequalities, biases, and a lack of diverse networks have historically disadvantaged women, ethnic minorities, and disabled entrepreneurs.
These individuals encounter difficulties in securing the necessary capital to scale their businesses, perpetuating a cycle of limited growth opportunities and reduced access to resources.
Without adequate funding, underrepresented founders struggle to develop robust growth strategies, enhance their leadership skills, and become investment-ready, further widening the financial gap.
Highlighting these indexes, awards and lists is one crucial step in emboldening historically under-appreciated business founders and giving them their time in the spotlight.
Both the Empower 100 and our own Startups 100 present opportunities for underrepresented founders. For example, let’s take a look at how both awards have different eligibility requirements and how each might work to your advantage.
Eligibility
To apply for Empower 100, you must:
- Be a founder from Greater London
- Have an annual turnover of at least £50,000
- Employ two or more individuals, and
- Have been operating for a minimum of 18 months.
To apply for the Startups 100, you must:
- Be a founder from the UK
- Have a business that was founded after January 2018
- Be prepared to talk us through any of the following factors:
- 💰 Finance (how much funding have you raised and through what method?)
- 🏆 External validation (any significant achievements eg. notable partners or clients?)
- 📏 Size of opportunity (what ambitions do you have in terms of scale-up?)
- 💪 Strength of concept (is your idea unique?)
- 💡 Innovation (how is your idea disrupting the market?)
- We also have the following specialised award categories:
- 🤗 Social Impact: for startups putting purpose ahead of profit
- 🌿 Sustainability: for startups prioritising the environment in their mission
- 👑 Exceptional founder: for the entrepreneur who has turned their own personal struggles or challenges into a force for good.
Read our expert guide for more helpful advice on 5 top tips to boost your Startups 100 entry.
Applications for both the Empower 100 and Startups 100 are open now.
The impact
Lola Cawood was one business owner who was fortunate enough to have been eligible for both experiences. She completed the Empower 100 in 2022 as co-founder of Tiwani Heritage, then also became a Startups 100 alumni in 2023. She notes:
“The program[s] enhanced my understanding of business and the funding process through interactions with experts and successful brands that have gone through similar journeys. I entered, unsure of what to expect but emerged feeling more confident, equipped, and ready to scale my business. The entire learning experience is priceless!”
Eleanor Howie, founder of Valiant Lingerie expresses her gratitude for the Empower 100 too, stating:
“Collective Impact surpassed my expectations. Not only did I benefit from informative sessions with experts, but building relationships with other entrepreneurs has been a complete game-changer.”
Read the full article here
