Increasing diversity in investment
Context
In February 2026, Cornwall Angel Network hosted a pivotal roundtable at Falmouth University’s to launch the Genderscope report on Empowering Women Investors and Founders and invite collaboration. This event brought together leaders from Cornwall’s investment ecosystem, including founders, investors, public and private sector representatives, and diaspora experts, to address the structural and cultural barriers facing women in early-stage investment.
The roundtable marks a significant step in Cornwall Angel Network’s mission to empower women investors and founders, building on independent research commissioned by Falmouth University and sponsored by the British Business Bank.
Why Gender & Investment Matter
Women hold more than half of the UK’s personal wealth, yet only around 14% of angel investors are women. This gap is not due to lack of ambition or expertise, but rather confidence, visibility, and access. Genderscope’s research shows that women angels are significantly more likely to invest in women-led businesses, but low participation directly constrains the flow of capital to women founders.
All-women founder teams received only about 1.8% of UK equity funding in the first half of 2024, despite evidence that women-led firms can deliver equal or higher returns when backed appropriately.
Cornwall’s Investment Landscape
Cornwall’s rural, dispersed geography and fragmented support landscape create unique challenges. Longer travel times, grant dependency, and seasonal high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) contribute to hidden capital and poor engagement mechanisms. Women founders and investors face compounded barriers, including care responsibilities, travel costs, and confidence gaps.
The roundtable highlighted the need for joined-up interventions, combining investor training, founder readiness, and safe-space networking, precisely the role Cornwall Angel Network is positioned to facilitate with partners.
Barriers & Opportunities
Barriers Facing Women Investors:
- Lack of visible entry pathways into angel investing
- Absence of peer-based learning structures
- Cultural disconnect reinforced by informal investor networks
Barriers Facing Women Founders:
- Limited access to investor networks
- Underrepresentation in decision-making spaces
- Increased navigational burden, amplified by rurality and fragmented support
Intersectional Factors:
- Caring responsibilities, geographic distance, and reliance on informal systems intensify exclusion, especially for disabled women and women from ethnic minority backgrounds.
What works elsewhere
Genderscope’s research highlights successful approaches from Mint Ventures (Scotland), Awaken Angels (Ireland), Women Angels of Wales, and Lifted Ventures (Northern England):
- Dedicated coordination and continuity
- Intentional, well-resourced engagement
- Multiple pathways into participation
- Place, connection, and belonging
Cornwall Angel Network aims to adapt these models, fostering a staged, collaborative journey towards a more inclusive investment ecosystem.
Invitation to collaborate
Cornwall Angel Network invites conversation with investors, founders, support organisations, and funders who share an interest in strengthening access to early-stage investment in the region. Cornwall is ready to play its part.