The Next Wave of Women Angels in South Yorkshire - The TECH SY x Lifted Angels Academy Programme

A new fully-funded angel education programme launches to support more women investors across the region.

This initiative designed to inspire and equip the next generation of women angel investors is launching in South Yorkshire in June 2026, bringing together regional and national partners to help unlock more diverse investment into high-growth female founded businesses.

The TECH SY x Lifted Angel Academy in South Yorkshire is a fully-funded angel education programme delivered by Lifted Ventures in partnership with TECH SY. The support is funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, through the Tech Town status given to Barnsley Council, as well as funding through the British Business Bank and South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.

The programme will support up to 20 women from across South Yorkshire to learn the fundamentals of angel investing, gain confidence in assessing investment opportunities and connect with founders, investors and ecosystem leaders from across the region.

Over a series of expert-led workshops, networking events and practical learning sessions, participants will explore topics including:

● An Introduction to angel investing

● Understanding early-stage finance

● Due diligence and investment readiness

● Portfolio and syndicate investing

● Supporting founders beyond investment

● Regional investment opportunities and ecosystem building

The programme is aimed at South Yorkshire based women professionals, senior leaders, founders, entrepreneurs and aspiring investors who are interested in learning more about angel investment and supporting tech and innovation-led businesses in South Yorkshire.

Tracey Johnson of TECH SY said: “South Yorkshire has huge ambition, innovation and entrepreneurial talent, and we know that diverse investment communities are essential to unlocking the region’s full potential. This programme is an important step in creating more opportunities, strengthening the ecosystem that supports ambitious businesses to start and scale here, and for women to actively shape the future of investment, innovation and business growth across South Yorkshire.”

Jordan Dargue, Co-Founder of Lifted Ventures, said: “Supporting more women to engage with angel investment is vital to building a stronger and more inclusive economy across South Yorkshire. We know there is significant untapped potential amongst women who are interested in investing but have never had access to the networks, knowledge or opportunities to get started. The Next Wave of Women Angels in South Yorkshire is about changing that by creating a supportive environment where women can build confidence, learn together and become active participants in shaping the future economy of the region.”

Helen Oldham added: “Increasing the number of women angel investors has the power to transform access to finance for founders and strengthen regional economies. South Yorkshire already has incredible momentum across tech, innovation and entrepreneurship, and this programme is about ensuring more women are part of that growth story from an investment perspective.”

The initiative forms part of a wider movement to increase the number of women participating in angel investment and improve access to finance for underrepresented founders. Research continues to show that women remain significantly underrepresented within angel investing networks across the UK, despite growing demand for more inclusive investment ecosystems.

The programme builds on the growing momentum behind regional angel education initiatives being delivered across the UK by Lifted Ventures, which focuses on increasing the flow of early-stage capital into diverse and underrepresented founders through investment education and ecosystem development.

Applications for the programme are now open, with places limited to 20 participants. For more information, visit TECH SY x Lifted Ventures.