The five female-led start-ups embarking on the first Fortuna Fellowship have been unveiled.
The Fortuna Fellowship, a groundbreaking accelerator designed to advance female-led innovation in the West Midlands, has announced its inaugural cohort of five exceptional founders. Representing the region’s most promising start-ups, these entrepreneurs will now embark on a 12-month programme with the chance to pitch for a share of £2 million investment.
The five businesses selected for the 2024 Fortuna Fellowship are Cubbi, a money-saving app for new parents; Find Me A Solicitor, a free legal service that connects people to a lawyer for personal or business needs; MyBliss, a sexual wellness brand with products designed for women’s bodies; Visionary Farms, a sustainable indoor farming system for businesses and consumers; and Homewrecker, the UK’s first and only pimento cheese brand.
These dynamic businesses have been chosen for their significant growth potential, following a rigorous application and pitching process. Through the Fellowship, they will receive comprehensive support and mentorship, as well as the opportunity to secure equity investment to accelerate their growth.
With only 1.8% of VC investment going to female-led businesses, the Fortuna Fellowship has been created by The 51% Club, in partnership with venture capital firm Midven, part of Future Planet Capital, to increase the flow of capital to the region’s female entrepreneurs. Midven is one of the region’s leading investors and manages the West Midlands Co-Investment Fund (WMCO)*, which has contributed £1 million to the programme’s investment total.
The WMCO, a £25 million fund launched by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) in partnership with the West Midlands Pension Fund and managed by Midven, provides equity of up to £1 million to high-growth SMEs in the WMCA area, matched on a 1:1 basis by private co-investment.
Richard Parker, the Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMCA, said: “This impressive line-up of West Midlands female entrepreneurs has the drive and creative spark to create the innovative companies of tomorrow.
“That’s why we are looking to invest in them. Backing small businesses in this way, especially start-ups, is a cornerstone of my growth plan to deliver the jobs and prosperity that will benefit all our communities.”
Rupert Lyle, Fund Principal for the West Midlands Co-Investment Fund at Midven, commented: “Our aim was to find founders with that spark of ‘onlyness’ – businesses with a unique edge. What’s equally vital is their willingness to absorb knowledge and adapt. The Fortuna Fellowship will take them on a structured journey, equipping them with the tools and expertise to not only attract investment but to scale and thrive.”
Melissa Snover, Founder and CEO of Rem3dy Health, which pioneers personalised solutions across preventative and curative health, sat on the judging panel to help select the final cohort. She added: “As someone who’s raised equity investment, I understand the realities of what it takes and the process. The women selected for the Fortuna Fellowship have exceptional potential to build meaningful, high-growth businesses, but potential alone is not enough. What they need is access to practical guidance, experienced mentors, and a supportive investor network. That’s precisely what the Fortuna Fellowship provides, and I’m proud to support a programme committed to equipping women with the tools they need to scale their businesses, based right here in the West Midlands.”
The first-of-its-kind accelerator is a flagship programme of The 51% Club, a free-to-join community for ambitious female founders who are serious about scaling their businesses and generating wealth. It was developed to directly addresses the stark reality highlighted by the Rose Review that a staggering £250 billion in economic value is being left on the table because women aren’t starting and scaling businesses at the same rates as men.
The initial cohort of five founders will now embark on a structured four-phase programme of support, covering their strategic growth plans, investment readiness, founding and advisory team development, and the business skills needed to scale.
Tara Attfield-Tomes, founder of The 51% Club, concludes: “This programme is a game-changer. We’re not holding back; we want to create what Y Combinator has become to the worldwide startup community but focused on female-led innovation. I’m excited to continue building The Fortuna Fellowship alongside Midven and the key partners we’re bringing on board. Most importantly, I can’t wait to see just how far we can help these incredible women to go!”
