Dr Susan Kelly founder of NI company, Aflo, has been selected for the IBM award at the GRIT International Female Accelerator pitching ceremony.

The programme aims to enable female entrepreneurs, operating in digital health and life science, with the knowledge and confidence-required to scale their individual business. There is no cost to participate, and no equity taken.

A total of 16 female founders took part in this year’s GRIT programme which included 10 weeks of workshops, presentations, breakout sessions with experts such as Aram Attar, PJ Moloney, Hazel Chappell and HIRANI COM Siobhan McGrath PhD.

“There is significant evidence that female entrepreneurs face unique challenges in starting and growing businesses despite women in global healthcare industries making up 50% - 75% of that workforce.
Accelerator programmes, represent one potential model for overcoming these challenges through support services and investment.
Bespoke female accelerator programmes, such as GRIT helps to address these challenges by delivery of best approaches to support female entrepreneurs; and second, addressing the confidence and knowledge gap around fundraising and negotiating skills,” said Siobhan.

Dr Susan Kelly, who was delighted to win the award said: “I also got to meet and spend time with a great bunch of genuinely inspirational women who are doing exciting science and developing brilliant technology across Europe.

When you're a female founder leading a startup, it can be hard to find time for anything outside building your product. Thank you Diane Nevin and the entire GRIT programme team,  you could not have done more to help us, going above and beyond every week to keep us motivated and engaged.”