Leeds Accelerator Backs Nine Women-Led Businesses

The Built to Rise programme has begun its 2026 cohort, giving nine growing West Yorkshire businesses the tools and connections to scale

A Leeds-based accelerator for women-led businesses has launched its 2026 programme, backing nine growing West Yorkshire firms as they look to scale up. Built to Rise is run by business-support organisation The Whole Point and works with established companies, those employing at least five people with a turnover above £1m, to help them grow revenue, secure funding and build the confidence to expand. The new cohort began in late September and runs over twelve weeks. Organisers say it addresses a real gap in support for ambitious firms at the point they are ready to grow.

Why This Matters For Leeds

Women-led businesses remain under-represented and under-funded across the economy so targeted support that helps established firms scale is genuinely valuable to Leeds and the wider region. Programmes like this also strengthen the networks and role models that encourage the next generation of founders. A city backing proven women-led firms to go further is a practical and worthwhile step.

The Women-Led Businesses in the 2026 Cohort

This year’s nine participants span a broad range of sectors. They are Viviana Baker of the James Wilby Group, Emma Harvey of Candid HR, Jo Hollows of Intuitive Business Intelligence, Abigail Holt of Holtex, Shannon Martin of Dotty Bridal, Elly Nettleton of Boost Talent, Georgina Parkin of Harrogate’s Truth Legal, Hazel Plummer of 3D Productions and Yvonne Stocks of Palm Cove Society. Over twelve weeks they will take part in six in-person workshops and a series of ‘lunch and learn’ sessions, held at Bruntwood SciTech’s Platform venue and the Lloyds corporate hub in Leeds. The programme pairs them with a panel of experienced mentors and facilitators, many of them founders and senior leaders who have scaled businesses themselves. It returns for 2026 after a first run last year, backed by sponsors including Lloyds, law firm Mills & Reeve and Bruntwood SciTech.

“There’s no shortage of ambitious women building serious companies in the Leeds City Region. What has been missing is the right support at the point that they’re ready to scale.”

— Zandra Moore MBE, Co-Founder, The Whole Point

Support at the Point of Scaling

The programme is designed by women who have built and grown businesses themselves and is aimed squarely at the stage where firms are ready to push on but often lack the tools, networks or confidence to do so. The Whole Point, which is based at the Nexus innovation hub at the University of Leeds and runs regional boards across the UK, frames Built to Rise as filling that gap for women-led businesses specifically. With a growing emphasis across the city on widening access to growth capital and support, a programme focused on helping proven women-led firms scale is a welcome addition to the Leeds business landscape.