The Open University (OU) has joined forces with NatWest and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to relaunch the Open Business Creators Fund, a nationwide initiative offering early-stage women entrepreneurs financial support, mentoring, and access to training resources.
Launched in a video message by Baroness Martha Lane Fox, Chancellor of The Open University, the competition offers individual grants of up to £2,500, backed by £50,000 in sponsorship from NatWest.
The fund is open to women and those who identify as women aged 16 and over living anywhere in the UK, and is aimed at supporting those in the idea or early stages of starting a business.
“This is more than a competition – it’s a launchpad for women entrepreneurs,” said Chaitali Patel, Head of Prospects at The Open University. “With the support of our Validate platform, every applicant leaves with a stronger, clearer business concept and the confidence to take it forward.”
A learning-led approach to entrepreneurship
What sets this initiative apart is that every applicant is guided through the OU’s Validate business development platform — an interactive tool that helps users refine and test their business ideas.
Validate walks participants through identifying customer needs, developing value propositions, understanding key partners and resources, and producing a professional business portfolio. The completed portfolio then forms part of the fund application, meaning even those who don’t secure a grant gain practical skills and a tangible business plan.
The initiative builds on The Open University’s long-standing commitment to inclusive, accessible entrepreneurship, helping remove the barriers often faced by women, people of colour, and those from lower-income backgrounds when starting out in business.
Alongside the funding competition, the OU and NatWest will host a three-part webinar series across October and November — free and open to all — designed to inspire and equip new founders with practical skills.
The series, themed around Confidence, Capabilities, and Connections, features high-profile entrepreneurs, academics, and industry mentors:
Webinar 1: Confidence – Tuesday, 21 October (12:00–13:00)
Mags Byrne, Entrepreneur in Residence at The Open University, and Stef Genesis, a pioneer in the esports industry, will share their journeys. OU Business School’s Liz Moody will lead a hands-on workshop to help participants refine and strengthen business ideas.
Webinar 2: Capabilities – Wednesday, 5 November (12:00–13:00)
Ronke Maye, founder of Ronke Maye Ltd, will discuss audience engagement and relationship-building, followed by NatWest experts on managing costs and projecting revenue.
Webinar 3: Connections – Tuesday, 18 November (19:00–20:00)
A dynamic panel featuring Soyna Barlow, Justice Williams, Claudine Reid MBE, and OU Entrepreneur in Residence Russell Dalgleish will explore networking, visibility, and collaboration.
Anyone can register for the webinars through the Open Business Creators website.
Applications open until 21 November
To apply, participants must complete their Validate portfolio and submit it via the Open Business Creators entry formby midnight on Friday, 21 November 2025. Winners will be announced on 19 December 2025.
The competition provides more than just funding — it’s designed to foster a sense of community among new founders, connecting them with role models and professional networks through NatWest’s Enterprise team and The Open University’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Patel added that the initiative represents a broader push to democratise access to entrepreneurship: “Everyone should have the chance to turn an idea into a viable business — not just those with existing networks or resources. This fund is about levelling the playing field.”
The fund’s return comes at a time of rising interest in female entrepreneurship, with women starting businesses at faster rates than ever before but still facing significant disparities in funding access.
By combining NatWest’s business expertise with the OU’s education and mentoring framework, the partnership aims to support women from all backgrounds to build sustainable, scalable ventures — and, in turn, boost the UK’s entrepreneurial landscape.
To learn more and apply, visit: Open Business Creators Fund
