Bootstrap4F FAQs
Who is Bootstrap Europe and Bootstrap 4F?
As of April 2025, Bootstrap4F is the newly selected Fund of Funds Manager for the Invest in Women Taskforce. The team’s mission is to channel capital to high-potential, female-led and mixed investment managers, who in turn invest in female-led and mixed founding teams across the UK.
Bootstrap 4F is an affiliate of Bootstrap Europe – a UK-based, FCA regulated firm that is female owned and led. Their team combines decades of experience in fund-of-funds, credit and equity investment, with a laser focus on performance and inclusion.
Bootstrap is also a founding member of European Women in VC – the largest community of female Venture Capitalists in the UK and Europe. Through this network, Bootstrap is part of a powerful movement advancing gender equity in investment by increasing access, representation and capital for women across the Venture Ecosystem.
What expertise does the Bootstrap4F team have?
Bootstrap4F is led by a highly experienced group of partners and advisors, including co-founders of Bootstrap Europe, Stephanie Heller and Fatou Diagne, who have more than 40 years’ combined experience as investors and entrepreneurs.
The team includes seasoned fund managers, platform experts, and investors with deep ties to the European and UK venture ecosystem. Their experience spans managing globally recognised funds and Fund of Funds, and building and exiting their own businesses.
What is Bootstrap Europe’s gender diversity track record?
Bootstrap Europe is committed to inclusive capital allocation. Women make up 57% of the team. Both Bootstrap Europe and Bootstrap 4F have maintained gender balance not just at the team level, but also among partners and decision-makers. The team believes that systemic change requires everyone’s involvement – including male allies.
Who is the Invest in Women Taskforce?
The Invest in Women Taskforce was established in 2024 to make the UK the best place in the world to be a female entrepreneur. Co-Chaired by Debbie Wosskow OBE and Hannah Bernard OBE, the Taskforce is backed by HM Treasury and the Department for Business and Trade.
The Taskforce brings together leads from finance, policy and industry to unlock economic growth by investing in female talent.
The industry-led Taskforce are on a mission to:
- Deliver one of the world’s largest funding pots for female-powered businesses, to be deployed by female investors.
- Increase the proportion of female angel investors, and the level of angel investment going to female-powered businesses.
- Support the broader ecosystem – working across Financial Services to enable more women to start and scale businesses
At the heart of this ambition is an initial £255 million funding pool, committed by leading UK institutions.
Who is backing the £250m funding pool?
The initial £255 million funding pool has been convened by a coalition of leading institutions committed to changing the face of UK venture.
Barclays, M&G and the Visa Foundation have committed £105 million to the fund of funds.
The British Business Bank, Morgan Stanley, BGF and Aviva commitments will be deployed through their own partner programmes either into funds or directly into female and mixed businesses.
Why do we need the Fund of Funds?
If women in the UK were to start and scale their business at the same rate as men, it could unlock £250bn for the UK economy. Yet, the share of equity investment going to all-female founded teams fell from 2.5% in 2023 to just 2% in 2024. Systemic change is needed, which starts by backing more women with capital and power to invest.
Female investors are twice as likely to invest in female founders, and data shows that female-led businesses generate up to 35% higher returns. This Fund of Funds, managed by Bootstrap 4F, was created to drive that change – by backing the next generation of exceptional female investors and accelerating capital into the UK’s most underfunded, high-potential businesses.
What involvement does the UK Government have?
The Invest in Women Taskforce is backed by the Department for Business & Trade and His Majesty’s Treasury. Chancellor Rachel Reeves officially endorsed the Taskforce in September 2024, which demonstrates the UK government’s commitment to supporting female entrepreneurship as part of their drive for economic growth. The Taskforce also benefits from high-level Government representation, with Minister for Investment Baroness Poppy Gustaffsson OBE and Small Business Minister Gareth Thomas serving as members of the IWT board and Ecosystem Working group, respectively.
