Angel Academe, the United Kingdom’s leading female-focused angel investment network, has partnered with fintech fund manager SyndicateRoom to launch the second edition of its Female Founders Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) Fund, aimed at supporting women-led technology startups across the UK.
The fund, which targets a raise of up to £1.5 million, seeks to address the persistent funding challenges faced by female entrepreneurs while providing investors with opportunities to back high-growth, innovative businesses.
The launch follows the success of the network’s inaugural Female Founders Fund, which reached the upper end of its fundraising target in October 2025. The first fund invested in eight startups operating across sectors including fintech, health technology, clean technology, and enterprise solutions.
According to Angel Academe, the second fund will build on this success by drawing investment opportunities from its existing portfolio of more than 60 companies, while also leveraging an expanded network of venture capital firms and co-investors.
A significant feature of the new fund is the support of the British Business Bank (BBB), which has committed £1 million as cornerstone funding. The partnership is expected to increase available capital for participating startups, enabling them to accelerate growth and scale their operations.
The initiative comes at a time when female entrepreneurs continue to face significant barriers in accessing venture capital. Recent industry data revealed that all-female founding teams received only 1.75 per cent of UK equity funding in 2025, a decline from previous years. The disparity is even more pronounced in the artificial intelligence sector, where female-led teams reportedly secured an average of £0.9 million in funding compared to £6.5 million for male-led teams.
Speaking on the launch, Angel Academe Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Turner, emphasized the need for increased investment in female entrepreneurs.
“We don’t have a pipeline problem; we have a funding problem. By partnering with the British Business Bank, we are able to put more capital directly into the hands of women who are building the future of healthcare, data, and commerce,” she said.
Turner added that the first fund successfully backed innovative companies, including Béa Fertility, Provenance, and Onteric, and expressed confidence that the new fund would continue supporting promising female-led technology ventures.
SyndicateRoom Chief Executive Officer, Graham Schwikkard, described female-led startups as one of the most overlooked opportunities in the UK’s venture capital landscape.
“The launch of Fund 2 sends a powerful signal to the market that female-led businesses are some of the most undervalued assets in the UK venture ecosystem right now,” he said.
Founded as a female-focused angel network, Angel Academe comprises more than 1,000 registered investors, the majority of whom are women. The organization evaluates hundreds of early-stage technology ventures annually and provides both investment and mentorship to selected founders.
SyndicateRoom, an FCA-regulated investment platform and alternative investment fund manager, has facilitated more than £260 million in funding across over 200 UK businesses.
The Female Founders EIS Fund 2 is open to eligible investors from June 2026, with fundraising expected to close in October 2026. The fund aims to build a portfolio of between seven and ten high-growth companies and targets a long-term return over a ten-year investment horizon.
Why It Matters
The launch of the second Female Founders EIS Fund reflects growing efforts to tackle gender disparities in venture capital funding. By directing capital toward innovative women-led businesses, the initiative seeks to unlock untapped entrepreneurial potential while contributing to a more inclusive and diverse technology ecosystem.
