Mapping ethnic minority women entrepreneurs' support initiatives: experiences from the UK

This chapter focuses on mapping the support initiatives available to ethnic minority women entrepreneurs in the UK. It compares the support provided by targeted initiatives to mainstream programmes in order to identify possible gaps. The study draws on evidence from previous research focused on promoting diversity and inclusion in business innovation. It adapts the entrepreneurial ecosystem model to frame its analysis. Our findings highlight the fragmented nature of existing ethnic minority women’s support networks, and emphasize the need further to develop intermediaries and networks (as well as to clarify the distinction between them) within entrepreneurial ecosystems. Furthermore, there is a need to pay greater attention to the interdependence of different elements within ecosystems, including the impact of broader socio-economic factors on minority groups. Recommendations for future policy and practice are included.