Female Founder Growth Programme – The 51 Percent Club

Our Female Founder Growth Programme blends interactive workshops, practical exercises, and invaluable peer support, all focused on helping female founders find their path to sustainable growth.

We are bringing the programme to Birmingham for a new cohort starting September 2026, in partnership with Birmingham City Council through the Birmingham Enterprise Support Service (BESS). Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, we have built a programme that addresses personal, professional, and business development for a well-rounded and impactful experience.

Applications for this cohort close at midnight on Sunday 16 August 2026.

Apply for Cohort 3

Female Founder Growth Programme – Birmingham Cohort 1

Tara Lawrence, Founder of B.13

“This programme is all about helping you bridge the gap between where you are now and where you want to be. If you’re not sure what “where you want to be” looks like, it helps you explore your thoughts, gain new ideas and perspectives, and connect with an amazing support network.”

Applications are now open for our next Birmingham cohort, starting September 2026. This programme is for you if:

You are a female founder based in Birmingham
Your business is generating £50,000 or more a year
You have a team of one to five people (or it’s just you for now)
You are ready to grow, step out of the day-to-day, and move to the next stage

Applications are open to all female founders in Birmingham who meet the criteria. Everyone who applies is welcomed into our free community too, where you’ll also here about other cohorts and additional support for women in business.

Apply today!

Female Founder Growth Programme – Leamington Cohort 2

Lily Samuels, Founder of Lily Samuels Nutrition

“I had the incredible opportunity to be one of the founders selected for the first Leamington Spa cohort. From day one, we were pushed to think boldly and set audacious business goals. The accountability partner system was invaluable, allowing us to exchange ideas and push past our limiting beliefs. It felt like a cool business school but with a fun and collaborative atmosphere.

One of my guiding mantras is to stop playing small and to aspire for greatness. Even a year later, I still operate my business based on the core ideas I learned during those eight weeks.”

Across 10 consecutive weeks, you will be led through a series of practical workshops, discussions, and advice-driven exercises. The programme covers four main areas:

Phase 1: Clarity
Thinking big and exploring where you want your ambition to take you and your business.

Phase 2: Empowerment
Everything you need to build and maintain a sustainable business, from finance and funding to brand and visibility.

Phase 3: Building the business
The practical work of growth: sales and pipeline, systems and delegation, and the shift from working in your business to working on it, alongside your own resilience and wellbeing as the founder.

Phase 4: Future planning
As we come to the end of the programme, we map out your next 90 days and make sure you have everything you need to succeed.

Apply here

Female Founder Growth Programme – Birmingham Cohort 1

Julie-Anna Needham, Founder of Decibel Podcasts

“I have loved the programme and the thing that has been brilliant for me is being meeting a group of ambitious, supportive women. It’s a programme that is not intense and also allows you to see where parts of your business needs support. It’s nurturing and you get a chance to learn from others.”