Power Her Up

Designed to provide a strong foundation of success for women entrepreneurs.

A group of women waving with the text 'Power Her Up'.

The Power Her Up entrepreneurial programme is designed to equip women entrepreneurs with a strong foundation for success by transforming high-growth potential ideas into impactful ventures. 

Running from January to April, the programme features a series of interactive workshops, along with one-to-one business advice, peer support and tailored guidance from our team of experts. You'll also gain access to a wealth of resources, feedback from fellow women entrepreneurs and networking opportunities with others on a similar path. 

Whether you're just about to launch your business or you're in the early days of getting it off the ground, Power Her Up is here to give you the tools, confidence and community you need from day one - whether that's for a new venture or a potential spinout. 

We welcome all those who identify as women, including trans-women, intersex and non-binary individuals. 

Programme details

All sessions are delivered in-person and it is expected that you attend all sessions within the programme, however, we understand that life happens, so while we encourage participants to join all sessions, don’t worry if you can’t make it to one – our team will catch you up.

The programme will run: Wednesday 14th January – 1st April 

Date and name of session 
Details of the session 
Speakers 
Wednesday 14th January - Welcome to Power Her Up Kick off your Power Her Up journey with a dynamic session designed to set the foundations for your next 10 weeks of growth. You’ll clarify your vision and mission, begin validating your idea, and map out your path ahead. Most importantly, you’ll connect with a supportive cohort of women founders who’ll grow alongside you.

Speaker: Lisa Golds, Innovation Fellow at University of Edinburgh, School of Health in Social Science

Lisa’s Fellowship investigates how caregiver smartphone use affects early caregiver–infant relationships, building on her PhD in Clinical Psychology. She is developing a co-produced digital platform to offer education and support to caregivers during the perinatal period. Her work combines research and innovation to address a growing public health concern and create a tool with real potential for impact and future commercialisation.

Wednesday 21st January - Design Thinking This session introduces design thinking and why it’s essential for creating products that genuinely meet users’ needs. You’ll learn how to move from real insight to clear problem statements, creative ideas and rapid prototypes. By the end, you’ll understand how this approach helps you build solutions that truly work for the people you want to support.

Speaker: Kat Pohorecka, founder of Mude

We are joined by design thinking expert Kat Pohorecka, Founder and Chief Product Officer of Mude. Kat will share her approach to building purpose-driven ventures through human-centred design.
Mude enables women to integrate insulin pumps into any clothing combination, giving them greater freedom and choice. This practical workshop will help you shape a clear, compelling vision for translating your research into real-world impact.

Wednesday 28th January - Legal Basics Get clear on the key steps to setting up your business with this practical introduction to company formation. We’ll break down legal structures, essential documents and common pitfalls so you can make informed choices from the start. By the end, you’ll feel confident about forming your company and shaping its future.

Speaker: Laura Bernal

Laura Bernal is the interim Programme Manager of the Venture Builder Incubator at the University of Edinburgh, supporting deep tech founders to take their ideas from concept to company. She originally set up the programme in 2021 and has since worked with hundreds of founders bringing new technologies to life. A former founder herself, Laura specialises in creating the systems, culture and relationships that help innovation thrive.

Monday 2nd February - Intellectual Property Join our Technology Transfer team for a dedicated IP Basics session designed specifically for Power Her Up. This session will help you understand how to take the right steps to recognise, manage, and protect your intellectual property. This is a special session delivered exclusively within cohort programmes.

Speaker: Christie McClausky - General Counsel at Ooni

Christie McClausky is General Counsel at Ooni, where she leads on global legal strategy and protects the brand’s rapidly growing IP portfolio. She has played a key role in navigating complex intellectual property disputes and safeguarding Ooni’s innovations in a competitive market. Christie brings deep expertise in commercial, IP and organisational risk, helping fast-growing companies scale with confidence.

Wednesday 4th February - The 'Double Value' Due Learn how to validate ideas early, uncover what users truly need, and align UX with QA to build the right product faster and with confidence. You’ll walk away with practical tools to de-risk your roadmap and make smarter testing decisions.” 

Speakers: Yana Varankova & Nadia McKay

Yana Varankova, Senior UX Strategist & Founder

Most startups fail not because they can't build the product, but because they build the wrong one. Yana is a Senior UX Strategist on a mission to stop founders from wasting limited budgets on features nobody wants. With a unique background in Psychology, she helps tech and games founders decode exactly what their users need before a single line of code is written.

Nadia McKay, QA Expert & Founder of Nexa IQ

With over 30 years of experience in Information Technology, Nadia is a specialist in leading high-performing teams and helping organisations build quality software with confidence. As the founder of Nexa IQ, she advises startups and scaleups on quality strategy, delivery, and risk reduction, ensuring her clients not only ‘build the thing right’ but also build the right thing

Wednesday 11th February - Finding your Best Early Marketing Channels Kick-start your digital presence with a fast-paced session covering the essentials of digital marketing. From SEO and PPC to social media, influencers, visual storytelling and AI, you’ll learn practical strategies to help your business get noticed online. Perfect for turning your early marketing foundations into a clear, actionable digital plan.

Speaker: Sophie Duncan Shepherd, Teaching Fellow at University of Edinburgh

Sophie Duncan Shepherd is a Teaching Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, specialising in entrepreneurship and innovation education. She supports students and early-stage founders to develop the skills, confidence and mindset needed to turn ideas into viable ventures. Sophie brings a practical, engaging teaching style grounded in real-world startup experience and research-led practice.

Speaker: Tracey Aitken & David Carboni – Founders of HairTracker

With 30 years’ experience in the hairdressing industry, David and Tracey understand both the craft and the day-to-day challenges stylists face. Drawing on their lived experience, they created HairTracker — an intuitive, dyslexic-friendly digital record system designed by stylists, for stylists. Their mission is simple: to make salon life easier so professionals can focus on delivering great work and building strong client relationships.

Wednesday 25th February - Financial Basics Master the financial skills every founder needs. We’ll cover the key financial statements, what your numbers really say about your startup, and how to focus on the metrics that drive early-stage success.Maria Semper, Founder and Director MSG Accountancy 
Wednesday 4th March - Pitching Learn how to craft and deliver a compelling 5-minute pitch that captures attention and tells your story with impact. This session will break down the essentials of strong pitching and confident public speaking, from structure and tone to body language and pacing. You’ll leave with practical tools and space to refine your delivery so you can pitch with clarity, confidence and authenticity.

Speaker: Elena Grossi, Freelance Graphic Designer | Visual Development Artist

Elena Grossi is a visual designer specialising in crafting clear, compelling pitch decks for founders. With over 10 years’ experience across design, illustration, animation and games, she’s worked with organisations including the UN’s FAO, the University of Oxford and the University of Edinburgh. She blends creative storytelling with strong visual communication and intercultural insight to help ideas land with impact.

Wednesday 11th March - Funding In this session, you’ll hear from founders who have secured funding in very different ways, sharing honest insights into what worked, what didn’t and what they wish they’d known earlier. TBC 
Wednesday 18th March - Elevate your NetworkThis session will help you map and understand your networks, highlighting who’s in them, where the gaps are and how to strengthen them. You’ll explore your place in the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem and identify the skills and support you may need. By the end, you’ll have practical tools to build more strategic, meaningful relationships that can move your venture forward.

Speaker: Emma Ahlert, Founder of Elsie

Emma is the founder of Elsie, a global community supporting freelancers in female and sexual healthcare through better pay transparency, visibility and access to opportunities. With a background in sociology, sexual health research and grassroots activism — including co-founding Back Off Scotland — she has spent her career championing wellbeing, equity and informed care. Emma brings deep sector expertise from leading content across contraception, menopause, fertility, period care and more, now channelling that experience into building a sustainable home for freelancers in this space.

Wednesday 1st April - Pitch OffAs part of the Pathways Pledge April event, founders will have the chance to take part in a pitch-off, showcasing their ideas to an audience of staff, partners and ecosystem supporters. It’s a platform to share lived experience, gain visibility and receive supportive, constructive feedback. This is a unique opportunity to amplify underrepresented voices and highlight ventures created by women.More information coming soon. 

Upon successful completion of the programme, participants will receive:

  • A digital badge to showcase your learning and achievements
  • The opportunity to win a cash prize
  • A chance to pitch and showcase your solution to the wider ecosystem at our Pathways event in April 

Deadline: Monday 5th January 2026 

 

Who is this programme for?

The programme is tailored for individuals working on high-growth potential ideas, with a strong encouragement for applications from STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) sectors. 

Who can apply: current students, recent graduates and staff members from the University of Edinburgh.

What we're looking for applicants who:

  • Have completed market research and some level of customer validation
  • Be ready to submit a Lean Business Canvas
  • Provide a 1-minute pitch video as part of your application 

We're looking for applicants who are ready to take the next step - this isn't for raw or underdeveloped ideas. Whether you're about to launch your business or you're in the early stages of getting it off the ground, this programme is designed for you. 

Should you win funding as part of this programme, a UK bank account is preferred for all payments. Requests to use non-UK bank accounts may be considered on a case-by-case basis and may be subject to additional checks or processing time.

Applications are competitive. We ask a few short questions to assess your suitability for the programme. Please ensure you complete these questions fully and to the best of your ability to be in with the best chance of securing a place. 

 

This talk might have been one of the best things I have ever been to at the University and I’ve been here for 3 years! It was so, so informative and inspiring.

 

The programme has helped me to develop my self-confidence and start overcoming my fear of failure and my other limiting beliefs

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