Growth Readiness

Make a Wave is a unique specialist incubator programme for women in social enterprises,

It’s a learning and co-mentoring programme made of exclusive live and on-line sessions with funders, entrepreneurs and mentors. In addition, participants attend teleconferences with women angels and funders. They access coaching and a variety of support services, and benefit from a strong peer-to-peer network.

“You learn to design business models, but you also learn about yourself and the conditions that help you make an impact in your life and your community”

In 2016 we have focused on ecosystem influencers and business supporters.
In 2014-2015, we worked in partnership with the Match International Women’s Fund to provide leadership and business development incubation to grantees based in 12 different countries. These women are running ventures impacting on women and girls.
In 2013-2014, this pioneering programme has given 250 women throughout the UK and abroad (through webinars) foundation skills to think about social enterprise, design a business model that will positively impact on people and planet, and get started for real!
In 2011 and 2012, we ran 2 cohorts in London, UK, with a total of 20 women in social enterprises.

ACCESS SOME OF OUR LEARNING RESOURCES HERE

– 1 interactive Business Skills Bootcamp introducing peer-to-peer coaching, finance, crowdfunding, business models, team-skills, fundraising, and branding, provided simultaneously in 5 regions.
– A year peer-to-peer support & e-coaching opportunities
– Six mentoring webinars by business experts and social entrepreneurs
– A Crowdfunding competition testing entrepreneurial capacity
– Micro-loan prizes of £1000 (confirmed by our partnering Foundation) to pilot a product/service
– 3 Local networking events to maintain group’s peer-to-peer connections and referrals to local opportunities.
– A final Pitching event, with funders, family, friends and supporters

Success indicators include:

– increased confidence levels in finance, personal and team management;
– taking up new commercial opportunities;
– invitation to submit proposals to incubators or investment programmes, or to dealflow;
– increased confidence level to pitch to new audiences and funders
– refined business proposal that investors are happy to look at and potentially accelerate;
– exposure in the media and new markets (UK and Global)
– feedback from consumers that the products/services are communicated clearly.
– successful fundraising (over £1,000,000 to date)

We are very grateful to the following hosts and organisations for providing invaluable knowledge and technical assistance to the incubator’s participants

– Dawn Austwick OBE, formerly CEO Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, CEO Big Lottery (UK)
– Vik Anderson and Board at Venture Partnership Foundation (UK)
– Suzanne Biegel (Catalyst at Large, ClearlySo, Gender Lens on Investment, previously CEO Investors Circle) (UK)
– Susan Aktemel (Scotland)
– Bonnie Foley-Wong, CEO Pique Ventures (Canada),
– Lauren Burnhill CEO OPV (USA)
– Jenni Inglis, SROI Network (Scotland)
– Ida Beerhalter (Germany- Saudi Arabia)
– Miriam Jordan Keane (UK)
– Theresa Burton, Ceo Buzzbnk (UK)
– Nesta (UK), Village Capital (UK)
– Adele Blakebrough, Ceo Social Business Trust (UK)
– ASTIA
– Daniele Barone-Soares, Ceo The Impetus Trust (UK)
– HubVenture Labs (UK), Sally Goodsell, Ceo FSE Group and founder INCITO VENTURES (UK)
– Melanie Stubbing (President International WeightWatchers Inc)
– Big Issue Invest (UK)
– Alison Bukhari, Director Dasra UK
– Natalia Oberti Noguera, Pipeline Fellowship (US)
– Kate Welch, Ceo Acumen Social Enterprises (UK)

In 2011, with the help of an RSA Catalyst Award, we decided to pilot Make a Wave, the first Incubator for Women in Social Enterprises. During two years, the incubator has supported and provided investment opportunities to 20 women entrepreneurs who were able to demonstrate skills and investment readiness. Participants got over 40 hours contact time with professionals and peers for a unique personal and business development opportunity.

– 6 x face-to-face group sessions in London with VC’s, angels, impact investors, philanthropists & accelerators, who will give you invaluable insights and tips.
– 3 x masterclasses in Crowdfunding, Finance, Social Impact Measurement.
– 6 x live mentoring webinars with leaders on technical topics (finance, impa ct reporting, PR, branding, teams, thinking like an investor, scaling or not scaling, lobbyism…)
– Brainstorm and peer-mentoring with a different fellow every month to give and gain insights.
– 6 x individual coaching sessions from the Ogunte team about you and your business.
– Crowdfunding support
– Funding, media & speaking opportunities, and business challenges are given out on a regular basis to the fellows.
– Tailored guidance, media and referrals package available throughout the programme.

You are an aspiring or experienced business angel and you want to make a difference to women in social enterprises at seed stage, contact us here and we will explain how you can access subsequent larger investment opportunities. Consider joining the Activist Angels programme.

We are committed to involve hosts, speakers, angels and participants in the Make a Wave PI programme who share strong values around collaboration, positive communication style, and constructive support. We also understand the challenges of campaigning and activism. However, participation in activities involving libel, slander and threats will result in immediate removal from this programme.
Make a Wave is an independent programme, supported from 2011 to 2013 by the RSA Catalyst Fund, in 2014 by Manchester City Council, Santander, and Ogunte CIC, in 2015 by Match International’s Women’s Fund (Canada).