Asian businesses encouraged to apply for Chamber’s Women Entrepreneurs Pitch competition

Women led businesses of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) are invited to apply for the Women Entrepreneurs Pitch competition, led by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce.

The annual competition is held in partnership with NatWest and is designed to showcase the best of the region's women-led SMEs and start-ups while helping to address barriers to growth, including access to investment and networks.

Applications for the competition are open now and will close on Wednesday 30 September.

A shortlist of finalists will then be invited to pitch to a panel of expert judges at a live final in Birmingham city centre on Wednesday 11 November, with the venue to be confirmed.

Since launching in 2023, the competition has attracted entrants working across a wide range of sectors – from health and wellbeing, medtech and biotech to sustainable fashion, music technology and ethical cosmetics manufacturing.

Previous winners include The Calmness Crew, which makes mental health plush toys for children, medtech firm iCount, which has developed an AI-enabled device to prevent surgical swabs being left in the body, and biotech company SymbioTex, which produces sustainable, seaweed-based materials for medical devices and cosmetic packaging.

ABCC manager Katrina Raipuri said: “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.

“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.”

Pictured: iCount co-founder and CEO Dr Aditi Desai, winner of the 2024 competition