ABCC Invites Women Entrepreneurs to Birmingham Pitch Competition

Women-owned businesses operating via the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) have been encouraged to take part in the Women Entrepreneurs Pitch Competition, organized by the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce.

The applications to join the Women Entrepreneurs Pitch competition have been opened, offering a chance for women-owned businesses to present themselves and become part of the final round. Applications are accepted until Wednesday, 30 September. After the application stage, the finalist companies will be chosen to present their businesses and skills in front of a panel of professional judges.

Key Highlights:

• ABCC women-led businesses are invited to pitch their ventures
• Applications close September 30; the final takes place on November 11
• Past winners span mental health, medtech and sustainable biotech

The event is an annual program delivered in collaboration with NatWest. The vision behind the event is to provide women-owned SMEs and startups with a chance to exhibit their business, and show their potential to an array of other  business leaders and stakeholders. The final event will take place in the city center of Birmingham on Wednesday, 11 November. The location of the event remains undisclosed at the moment.

Apart from identifying the entrepreneurial spirit, the competition will also endeavour to solve the ongoing challenges that women entrepreneurs experience as they seek to scale up. Increased access to investment opportunities, business networks, and industrial linkages is aimed at helping women entrepreneurs make their growth plans a reality.

 “The Asian business community is home to so many ambitious and innovative women who are building exciting businesses, and we want to see more of them putting themselves forward and gaining the recognition they deserve.” Katrina Raipuri, ABCC manager said.

She also added “The Women Entrepreneurs Pitch Competition provides a fantastic platform to showcase ideas, build confidence and open doors to valuable connections and opportunities that can help businesses take their next step.”

“I would encourage women entrepreneurs across the ABCC membership, whether they are at the beginning of their journey or looking to accelerate an established business, to seize this opportunity and apply.” Katrina emphasized.

With the inception of the competition in 2023, women entrepreneurs from various fields have been competing in it. Some of the past participants have come from the fields of health and wellbeing, medical technology, biotech, eco-fashion, music technology, and manufacturing of ethical cosmetics.

The competition has previously recognised businesses working on innovative solutions and skills across different sectors. Examples include The Calmness Crew, a company that creates soft toys to assist children in learning about mental health. In addition, iCount, a medtech company, has created an AI-powered device that can be used in surgery to minimize chances of surgical swabs remaining in the patient’s body.

Moreover, the competition has also recognized SymbioTex, a biotech company concentrating its efforts on making sustainable materials. The products from this company are made using seaweed-based materials and can be used for applications such as medical devices and cosmetic packaging.