Female founders are reshaping British business. The Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship found women launched a record number of new companies in recent years, and estimated that up to £250 billion could be added to the UK economy if women started and scaled businesses at the same rate as men. The Cazenove Capital Female Founder of the Year Award celebrates the women leading that change.
This guide explains what the judges look for and how to build a winning entry for this individual-focused award.
About the award
This award celebrates the economic contribution of female founders, from high-potential start-ups and scale-ups to established businesses. It focuses on the personal contribution of a dynamic female leader who has achieved sustained growth and strong financial performance by building an engaged, productive team with a culture of innovation and resilience.
Who can enter?
The award recognises an enterprising individual female founder who has delivered on their vision, proven a new business model, or has a track record of scaling one or several businesses. It is open across stages, from start-up to established. Read the full criteria on the Female Founder category page before you enter, and remember this award is about you as a leader, not only the business.
How the award is judged
Entries are scored against four weighted criteria. The weightings tell you where to concentrate your entry, so plan your word count to match them:
|
Criterion |
Weighting |
|
Leadership & Innovation |
30% |
|
Financial Performance & Growth |
30% |
|
Employee & Customer Engagement |
20% |
|
Purpose Beyond Profit |
20% |
How to win, criterion by criterion
Leadership & innovation (30%)
This award is about the founder, so make your leadership story vivid and evidenced. Show how you created a culture of innovation, proved your business model, or scaled an innovative product or service. Explain how your leadership philosophy and management structure drove growth, and how you used technology and processes to improve service or productivity.
Financial performance & growth (30%)
Describe the market opportunity you identified and your point of difference, then evidence your growth: financial targets, KPIs, timescales, milestones and the barriers you overcame. Weave in your personal story, your career, your successes and failures, and how you inspire others. Show how the business performed against plan and what will sustain future growth.
Employee & customer engagement (20%)
Show how you attract, retain and motivate a team that helps you win and keep clients, with data on engagement, productivity and your growing customer base. Independent research consistently links engaged teams and loyal customers to stronger performance, so back your story with figures and case studies, including funding milestones tracked by the British Business Bank’s equity research where relevant.
Purpose beyond profit (20%)
Explain how your guiding mission and values align with your growth objectives, what you are doing on environmental, social and governance impact, and how your approach to diversity, equity and inclusion has made the business more competitive.
Evidence beats adjectives
Across every criterion, the same principle decides the score: judges reward proof and ignore assertion. Phrases like “market-leading” or “world-class” carry no marks on their own, while a number, a trend and an independent voice carry all of them. For each claim you make, attach a figure, show the journey with a starting point and an end point, and corroborate it with customer quotes, testimonials or third-party data. A good test is to read each sentence and ask: would a judge who knows nothing about us be able to score this? If not, add the evidence.
The finalist presentation
Judging happens in two stages. Your written entry is scored first, and if you are shortlisted you will be invited to London to present to a panel of four judges, with around 20 minutes to present and add colour to your entry and about 25 minutes of questions and answers. Prepare for both: the written entry gets you into the room, and the presentation wins the award. Build the presentation around your highest-weighted criteria rather than repeating the entry, bring people who can answer detailed questions, and rehearse for the toughest questions on your numbers. See our guide on how to write a winning awards entry for the full method.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Writing about the business but not about you as a leader, which this award is built around.
- Under-investing in leadership and financial growth, which together carry 60% of the marks.
- Omitting your personal story, journey and what you have learned.
- Making claims with no numbers, trends or independent proof.
- Leaving the entry to the last minute rather than drafting and reviewing properly.
Your quick pre-submission checklist
- Have I mapped my word count to the weightings, with the most on the highest-weighted criteria?
- Is every important claim backed by a number, a trend or an independent voice?
- Have I answered every part of every question in the category criteria?
- Have I shown both my track record and a credible plan for sustained growth?
- Has someone outside the team read it and understood it without explanation?
Ready to enter?
The Female Founder of the Year Award rewards visionary leadership backed by real commercial results. Lead with your story, evidence your growth, and prepare to present with confidence. For eligibility and process, see the entry FAQ.
Entries for the 2026 Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards close at midnight on Friday 3 July. Start your Female Founder of the Year entry today.
