Sie Ventures Announces 2024/2025 Partners for Catalyst: A Force for Change, Fostering Long-Term Collaboration & Bridging the Gender Equity Gap in the VC & Tech Ecosystem
We are thrilled to introduce the Sie Catalyst Cohort V and our Catalyst Program Partners for the 2024/2025 term.
Since launching Sie Ventures in 2020 amid the pandemic, we have proudly supported 50 companies through Sie Catalyst Programs and invested in 15 companies through the Sie Syndicate, which debuted in 2023.
Collectively, our companies have raised over £114M in the past four years, a testament to the growing success of women-led businesses.
None of this would have been possible without the incredible support of our partners. From day one, they have been essential to our mission of driving meaningful change and securing funding for more women-led companies through our flagship investment readiness Program — Sie Ventures’ Catalyst Program.
We are excited to continue our partnerships with Marriott Harrison, HSBC Innovation Banking, and we’re delighted to welcome our newest partner, Cooper Parry. We will also continue to be supported by British Business Bank. Our Partners play a critical role in supporting our founders throughout Catalyst, offering valuable expertise and expanding their extensive networks to our cohort companies.
Our Partners support our companies with office hours, workshops and cover an array of topics crucial to the fundraising process across legal support, financial modelling, demystifying term sheets and cap tables.
Additionally, we are excited to share that this year, we will be running two Sie Catalyst Programs, each welcoming 15 exceptional female / mixed gender founding teams. We remain dedicated to backing companies that are truly changing the world. Last week, we officially kicked off Sie Catalyst Cohort V, welcoming 15 extraordinary founders whose businesses span sectors such as sustainability, fintech, healthcare, marketplaces, deeptech, and the future of work.
Introducing Sie Catalyst 2024/5 Partners
As part of this announcement, we’ve asked our valued Partners to share their insights on why they chose to collaborate with Sie Ventures and their advice for founders starting their entrepreneurial and fundraising journeys.
HSBC Innovation Banking
“We know that innovation needs different ideas”
“HSBC Innovation Banking is a proud long-term partner of Sie Ventures. We know that innovation needs different ideas, technologies and perspectives, and the work that Sie does — both through its Catalyst programme and syndicate — is pivotal in ensuring that capital finds its way into the hands of more diverse founders building the companies that will reshape our world”
Marriott Harrison
What motivated you to partner specifically with Sie Ventures and why supporting companies led by diverse founding teams is important to Marriott Harrison?
The work that Sie Ventures undertakes to promote and support diverse founding teams in their venture capital journey answers a real need in the funding ecosystem to ensure female talent, ideas and potential are recognised and encouraged. Sie is a driving force for diversity in business and is making a significant impact. Marriott Harrison is proud to partner with Sie.
What would be one good piece of advice you would give to female founders who are starting their businesses and their fundraise journey?
Do your homework, hold your nerve and be curious! Market knowledge is essential — understand the challenges you’re likely to face and be sure about how you intend to face them. If you’re knocked back by potential investors move on, but don’t be afraid to ask for feedback on their decision and listen to it. Continually look critically at your plans, see where improvements can be made — you’re working in a fast-changing market, adapt your plans and reflect them when you need to so they stay on point.
“If you’re knocked back by potential investors move on, but don’t be afraid to ask for feedback on their decision and listen to it.”
Cooper Parry
What motivated you to partner specifically with Sie Ventures and why supporting companies led by diverse founding teams is important to Cooper Parry?
We have always admired Sie Ventures work in the ecosystem; not only from the perspective of driving outcomes for founders from diverse backgrounds but also delivering value in a highly curated, professional manner. There are many organisations that are well intentioned, but few that can balance that with tangible results and a long tail of value that endures after the programme. This is a philosophy by which we operate in the Tech & High Growth Team at Cooper Parry too; and so, we were delighted to be offered the opportunity to collaborate.
Similarly, we feel passionately about playing our part in supporting companies led by diverse founding teams. Entrepreneurship has always promised to serve as a catalyst; not only for innovation but for social mobility and financial inclusion; For this to be a fact and not fiction, it is vital that those opportunities are provided equally across the diversity spectrum.
What would be one good piece of advice you would give to female founders who are starting their businesses and their fundraise journey?
There is a lot of generic advice that we might give to any founder starting a business or raising a funding round. However, specifically in the case of female founders,
I would recommend prioritising finding a tribe of other founders that you can go on the journey alongside.
The power of community, sharing a very specific life experience, can be invaluable; not only as a sounding board for advice and recommendations but as an escape from a job that will often feel all consuming.
British Business Bank
What motivated you to support Sie Ventures and why supporting companies led by diverse founding teams is important to the British Business Bank?
Supporting female entrepreneurs, who often face additional barriers when it comes to accessing the finance they need to grow and scale their businesses, is an important objective of the British Business Bank. Programmes such as this [Catalyst] are key to providing support in overcoming these issues and helps ensures that both female led and diverse founding teams have the opportunity to thrive in business.
What would be one good piece of advice you would give to female founders who are starting their businesses and their fundraise journey?
There are a growing number of excellent resources and opportunities now available for advice and support when looking to start or grow your business, including specific support for female founders.
Women entrepreneurs have unique and powerful perspectives to offer — engage with your networks early.
Thank You To Our Partners & Venture Network
We are also supported by a robust network of Venture Capitalists and seasoned operators who actively mentor our founders throughout our Catalyst Programs. Additionally, expert facilitators — including investors, successful founders, and experienced operators — will share their valuable insights to demystify the world of venture capital and guide founders through critical decision-making processes.
We invite you to stay tuned for the upcoming events for investors and more news from our Cohort V here!
