IDEA Women FAQ’s

We are very excited to be launching IDEA Women, an initiative aimed at addressing gender inqualities in entrepreneurship. Here’s some of the most commonly asked questions about what we are doing:

Who can participate?
The short answer is any woman* in Oxfordshire who is interested in entrepreneurship!  We want to bring together current communities and help fill the gaps, providing a well formed web of support for women in entrepreneurship in Oxfordshire. While not all programmes or activities will be open to all, there will be something for everyone.

Our key audiences include:

• Woman with a connection to the University of Oxford – be that as a student, a staff member or researcher, or an alumna –  in any academic division or department, this is for YOU! Whatever your course or level of study, and whether you’re new to the concept of entrepreneurship or are well on your way to building and scaling a startup idea, IDEA Women offers you the community, skills, opportunities and network to support you on your path.
• Women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship supporters in Oxfordshire – if you are a founder or if you support entrepreneurs, we would love to have you join our community!
• Women interested in entrepreneurship (with no connection to the University of Oxford)

Is it just for women, or can men get involved?
Men are included! We need male voices, and male advocacy too if we’re going to truly make a difference. If you’re interested in being an active part of the IDEA Women initiative, please visit register your interest here for more information.

What does the programme offer?

• Connection & Network
  Get connected to women just like you, and women whose stories will inspire you. The IDEA Women network and community will help you to find support and connection, and give you a forum to share experiences, get your questions answered, get creative with your ideas and maybe even find your next co-founder, investor or board member, all in an informal and safe space.
• Skills exchange
  With a strong focus on peer support, the programme will provide practical ways to help you identify and fill the ‘gaps’ in your knowledge, experience and confidence – and for you to share your insights and knowledge with others too.
• Practical learning through doing
  Attend expert-led learning sessions and workshops on themes that are directly relevant to women leaders and entrepreneurs, such as financial basics, building confidence and resilience, getting access to investment, pitching skills and more.
• Board shadowing opportunities
  Globally, commercial organisations recognise that they need to increase the gender diversity of their executive boards. If you’re an aspiring leader, IDEA Women can connect you with opportunities for training, shadowing individual board members within existing commercial organisations, attend board meetings and gain first-hand understanding of the function and dynamics of an executive board.
• Events, missions and challenges
  With events happening throughout the year, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to hear from inspiring speakers, get knowledge and insights from your peer group, focus and troubleshoot around specific challenges, and connect and network with others.

*anyone who identifies as a woman or non-binary