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Female founders don’t lack ambition – with Elizabeth Pirrie

Elizabeth Pirrie on the Barclays Eagle Labs Female Founder Accelerator, powered by AccelerateHER

There’s a narrative that still lingers in business circles: that women founders are less ambitious, less growth-focused, less likely to scale.

Elizabeth Pirrie has spent years proving the opposite.

As CEO and Owner of AccelerateHER, she has worked with thousands of female founders across the UK, helping them access growth support, investment readiness, visibility and belief. She’s seen first-hand what happens when ambitious women are given the right tools, the right network and the right environment for growth.

And she’s clear on one thing:

Female founders do not lack ambition.

What they often lack is something else entirely.

Margin.

As applications open for the 2026 Barclays Eagle Labs Female Founder Accelerator, powered by AccelerateHER, we sat down with Elizabeth to discuss what female founders really need, why this stage of business matters so much, and what can happen when women are properly supported.

Applications open on the 1st of May 2026 and close on Friday, 12th June 2026.

What AccelerateHER is here to change

For Elizabeth, AccelerateHER has always had a clear mission.

“AccelerateHER exists to amplify the growth, backing and visibility of female founders. We’re about changing the face of the economy by having more women starting and growing businesses, and being funded to do so.”

That ambition is bigger than one programme.

It’s about who gets seen. Who gets supported, funded, and ultimately, who gets to shape the future economy.

What gives her hope about Female Founders in the UK

Elizabeth doesn’t hesitate when asked what makes her optimistic.

Innovation.

“I see women everywhere looking at problems in the world and finding solutions for them. That’s one of the reasons I love my job so much.”

She recalls one founder from an early accelerator cohort who created a financial card designed for people living with dementia, allowing them to retain dignity and independence, while giving family members reassurance behind the scenes.

It was inspired by a personal challenge the founder had experienced.

“It was a problem I went through with my own dad. I did nothing but complain about it. She went and built a solution.”

That founder later launched with the support of the AccelerateHER accelerator and went on to appear on Dragon’s Den.

For Elizabeth, stories like that are what founder ecosystems are really about.

Women spot real problems and then do something about them.

Great founders don’t follow a linear timeline

Another shift she’s encouraged by is who is choosing to build businesses.

“It’s not just young women. We’re seeing women in their 40s and 50s too, often at a stage in life where they have more time, fewer caring responsibilities, or simply feel ready to focus on something meaningful of their own beyond their built career.”

That matters because entrepreneurship should not be presented as something reserved for a narrow life stage, a certain background, or people with perfect timing.

Sometimes the best founder comes with life experience, resilience, commercial maturity and a problem worth solving.

What still frustrates her in 2026

Despite progress, Elizabeth is candid about what still hasn’t changed enough.

“It’s 2026, and we are still facing some of the same issues. Women are still underestimated.”

Too many women still hear their venture described as:

“How’s your little business going?”

It sounds casual, harmless, even.

But language shapes perception.

And perception shapes opportunity.

“That’s why visibility matters so much. We need the world to see more successful female founders.”

Ask people to name famous entrepreneurs, she says, and the same male names often come up first, the Jeff Bezos of the world.

Yet there are brilliant women behind globally significant businesses too, from Anne Boden at Starling Bank to Melanie Perkins and Anne Wocicki, the founders of Canva and 23andMe.

Elizabeth believes the most powerful role models are often closer to home, those female founders who are relatable.

“Sometimes it’s not the billionaires that matter most. It’s the founder who is just a few steps ahead of you. Someone you can relate to.”

This is why we take great pride and pleasure in sharing the wins of female founders in our community to lift and inspire others coming up behind them.

Growth, backing and visibility - Why those three pillars matter

AccelerateHER often talks about helping founders with growth, backing and visibility.

Those focuses are deliberate.

Growth

“People often assume female founders don’t want to grow. That they’re building ‘lifestyle businesses’ or ‘kitchen table enterprises’. We continue to challenge that.”

Women are allowed to be ambitious.

In Elizabeth’s words:

“In fact, it’s okay to be obnoxiously ambitious.”

Backing

Backing means more than funding.

“Yes, money matters. But backing also means people believing in you, opening doors, being in your corner.”

Visibility

And visibility underpins both.

Because if women are not seen, they are less likely to be funded, referred, invited, remembered or championed.

Why women talking about purpose is misread

One of the most common misconceptions Elizabeth sees is around how women describe their businesses.

“Women often talk about the purpose behind the business first. They talk about the problem they’re solving and the good they want to do.”

Too often, that gets misinterpreted as a lack of commercial ambition.

“People assume they won’t make money. That’s not true. It’s just not always the first thing they lead with.”

She believes more women need permission to say both things confidently:

I care deeply about this problem.
And I intend to build a highly successful business.

“We need more women standing up and saying: I’m going to make money from this.”

Female founders don’t lack ambition - they lack margin.

Elizabeth explains:

“It’s not that female founders think smaller. It’s that they are often building with less margin.”

Less financial cushion.
Less room for error.
Less time to get things wrong.
Less access to easy early capital.

Shorter runway.

Higher risk awareness.

That changes behaviour.

“Instead of asking ‘what’s the best move for the business?’, they’re asking ‘what can I afford not to get wrong?’”

And that has consequences.

Hiring gets delayed.
Marketing gets postponed.
Growth slows.
Investment readiness arrives later.
Confidence then gets misdiagnosed as the issue.

“It’s not a confidence gap. It’s not an ambition gap. It’s a margin gap.”

And that’s exactly the gap this programme is designed to close.

Why we need to talk less about confidence and more about context

Elizabeth is thoughtful about the language used around women in business.

“Sometimes saying ‘we need to build women’s confidence’ can feel quite condescending.”

Many founders are already highly capable and confident professionals.

Scientists. Engineers. Operators. Creatives. Specialists.

What they may be unfamiliar with is the commercial world of business growth.

That’s not lack of confidence.

That’s new context.

“They may be very confident in their expertise. They just haven’t yet been shown the mechanics of building and scaling a business.”

Why this stage of the founder journey matters so much

The Barclays Eagle Labs Female Founder Accelerator is designed for founders beyond the idea stage.

That means they have traction, an MVP (Minimum Viable Product), customers or a product close to market.

Why there?

Because Elizabeth believes this is where too many women are lost.

“This is the stage where it gets harder. It feels riskier. You’re making real decisions. You may be doing it alone as a solo founder. Family and friends may not understand why you left a stable path of employment.”

This is often the moment a founder most needs support, while feeling pressure to appear certain and in control.

What happens when founders get the right support at the right time

Elizabeth lights up when describing the transformation she sees.

“They soar.”

Often, a founder enters cautiously.

Asking:

This might be a silly question but…

Then, over time, the language changes.

I’ve got this.
I know what I need to do next.
I’m ready for the next level.

“That confidence doesn’t come from us just telling them they’re brilliant. It comes from understanding what they’re doing.”

She offers a brilliant (unsurprisingly) running analogy:

“You can tell someone they’re capable of running a marathon. You can show them the training plan, explain the pacing, and even map out the route.

But they don’t truly believe it until they’ve put in the miles, the early mornings, the long runs, the moments where they wanted to stop but didn’t.

Confidence doesn’t come from being told they can do it. It comes from proving to themselves, step by step, that they already are.”

That’s what practical support creates = confidence through action.

What makes this accelerator different

There are many accelerators. Elizabeth is clear on what sets this one apart.

Designed by founders, for founders

“We’re founders ourselves. We’ve been doing this for years. We know female founders, and we know what they need.”

Delivered by people who understand the journey

Sessions are led by experienced operators, founders and experts across growth, finance, sales, hiring and more.

Built for real life

The nine-week programme is online-first, practical and accessible.

“Women are often building businesses alongside jobs, family responsibilities or other commitments. The structure has to reflect that.”

Community-led

And then there’s the real differentiator.

The people, the peers who become your network, the facilitators who guide and challenge you, and the Barclays team who bring expertise, opportunity and genuine backing throughout the journey.

A safe space without the ‘sharky’ energy

One of the most common alumni reflections is that the programme feels different.

Serious, ambitious, supportive, without ego or competition.

Without the “shark tank” atmosphere that some founders encounter elsewhere.

“There genuinely is no such thing as a silly question.”

Even founders in similar spaces help each other share contacts, make introductions and swap lessons learned.

“They build each other up. It’s something we actively encourage.”

Why community is often the hidden superpower

Every cohort includes 100 founders, also split into smaller peer-to-peer groups, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Elizabeth says community is often the biggest surprise value for founders.

“Founders often come for the content. They leave talking about the people.”

That includes practical honesty, too.

Conversations like:

I hired the wrong person — what do I do?
I’m stuck on pricing.
I’ve messed something up.
Has anyone been through this?

And the response is often immediate:

Yes, I’ve been there.
Here’s what helped.
I know someone you should speak to.

Relationships that last beyond the programme

Elizabeth shared one story from a recent cohort that stayed with her.

Two founders connected through their peer group over a shared link and discovered they were both in South Africa at the same time. They stayed close friends. Fast forward to now, and one is attending the other’s wedding.

That may not appear on a KPI dashboard, but it matters.

Because founder journeys can be lonely, and trusted relationships built during intense growth periods often become lifelong support systems.

What founders think they need Vs what they actually need

Many founders join the accelerator programe looking for answers on:

Finance
Marketing
Sales
Pitching
Growth mechanics

And they do get those.

But often they discover something deeper.

“They realise they need a support network. A group of people who believe in them and are learning alongside them.”

Where founders overcomplicate things

Elizabeth sees one common trap repeatedly.

Perfectionism.

Especially around MVPs.

“Minimum viable products are often never minimum.”

Too many founders want the polished platform, automated systems and full product suite before testing the problem and possible solution.

Sometimes the first MVP can be:

A spreadsheet
A landing page
Manual delivery behind the scenes
A conversation series with customers

“Perfection gets in the way of progress.”

What makes a strong accelerator application in 2026

Applications open on Friday, 1st of May 2026 and close on Friday, 12th June 2026.

So what stands out?

“A strong application shows clarity on what the founder wants to get from the programme, and a willingness to put the work in.”

Elizabeth also urges honesty.

“Be honest about the stage you’re at. Be honest about the challenges you’re facing.”

And one more note:

“Don’t rely too heavily on AI to write your application. We can tell. Let your authentic passion shine through.”

What if you’re thinking: “I’m not ready”?

Elizabeth’s first instinct?

“Absolutely go for it.”

Then she’d ask:

Why do you think you’re not ready?

Many founders disqualify themselves too early.

If you are beyond the idea stage, building something real, and ready to grow, you are likely more ready than you think.

What the programme is not designed for is pure ideation.

“If you had the business idea this morning, this probably isn’t the right fit yet.”

But if you’re building momentum and want help accelerating it?

That’s exactly what it exists for.

Why the Barclays partnership matters so much

The programme is delivered in partnership with Barclays Eagle Labs.

Elizabeth says the impact is significant.

“Barclays bring a huge UK-wide network, credibility, expertise and practical resources.”

That includes sector insight, specialist sessions, founder tools, and continued access to broader founder support, including the wealth of resources on their new Community Hub.

Crucially, it also means the programme is delivered at no cost to founders.

“That simply wouldn’t be possible without Barclays’ support.”

What excites Elizabeth most about the 2026 Cohort

Her answer is immediate.

“I can’t wait to meet 100 new female founders and see what they achieve across the programme.”

That’s the heart of this work: not performative inclusion or empty rhetoric, but real women building real businesses with the right support behind them.

Thinking of applying?

If you’re a female founder leading an innovation-led or tech-enabled business, beyond idea stage and ready for growth, this could be the right next step.

Over nine weeks, you’ll gain:

Expert-led masterclasses
Sales, finance and growth support
Peer accountability groups
Mentoring
Community networking
Practical tools to scale with confidence

Applications for the 2026 Barclays Eagle Labs Female Founder Accelerator, powered by AccelerateHER, open on Friday, 1st May 2026 and close on Friday, 12th June 2026.