SheEO is a global venture that helps women-led businesses with a social conscience to scale up, thanks to the generosity of other women.
Overview
Women face unique challenges when it comes to scaling budding businesses – and one common hurdle is securing the necessary funding to grow.
If you're looking for an injection of funds to support your business, SheEO's program could be a perfect fit.
How does the SheEO model work?
The model brings together hundreds of radically generous women called Activators who contribute $1100 each (or twelve monthly payments of $92) for Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA; or £850 (or twelve monthly payments of £71) for the UK. That money is pooled and then loaned out in the form of 0%-interest 5 year loans to women-led Ventures whom the Activators help select. As the money is paid back into the fund, it’s loaned out again to support more women-led Ventures each year.
How is SheEO Unique?
0% Interest five-year loan: Reflecting our value of radical generosity, Ventures receive a 0% interest five-year loan that is paid by in 20 quarterly installments.
A Year of Support from a Development Guide: Our SheEO Development Guides are women with deep experience as entrepreneurs themselves. Unlike most coaching programs that are designed by-men-for-men and only focus on the business, our coaches understand the competing priorities and complexities in your lives. They are experts when it comes to knowing how to help you figure out ways to integrate your various worlds. They don’t just “get” that things like childcare, eldercare or self-confidence issues might get in the way, they’d be surprised if they didn’t. As a funded Venture, you meet with your Guide twice a month during the first year for help with individual, team and business issues, such as identifying priorities, developing business strategy, and better understand and develop your team, thinking talents, and communication style. Many Ventures find it so useful that they continue to work with their Guides for several years.
Access To A Network Of Thousands Of Smart, Generous & Connected Women: Through our Ask + Give app and online community, we give Ventures access to the large and rich SheEO network of diverse and passionate supporters and have them navigate their own path. As Ventures reach out and women in the network respond, Ventures select who is the best fit to help them. Through this self-serve approach, Ventures find and create a team of advisors, mentors and supporters who are perfectly suited for them. Unlike many advisors and experts who think they know the answer and share what worked for them – which may or may not work for the person they’re talking to – we believe that there is often no “right” answer, no “right way” of doing something. We each have our own path. We know that getting to a new world is not necessarily going to happen by following what has worked in the past. We’ve designed things differently: we’re committed to helping you have strong social and financial returns and pioneering new business models and mindsets.
Limitations
Application Criteria
Company must be working on creating a better world through their business model and/or product and service as defined by the UN Sustainability Goals.
Majority owned (51%+) by cis* or trans woman, non-binary, gender-fluid or gender nonconforming people.
Majority led by a cis* or trans woman, non-binary, gender-fluid or gender non-conforming person. For SheEO, “led by” refers to the senior leadership role of CEO/ President.
You have generated between $50K – $2M in Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the USA, or £40K - £2M in the United Kingdom, in recurring revenue, from customers, in the last 12 months. If you are a not-for-profit or charity that generates revenue and can pay back a loan over 5 years, then you can apply.
Your Venture is registered as a legal entity in the region for which you are applying and has export potential.
The current round opens 10 May 2022 and closes 10 June 2022.
A future round will open 15 July 2022.