StudioDMK Joins the 'CatalyseHer' Program for Female Founders

Reaching for the light: Celebrating possibility, progress and the power of female founders.

I am delighted that StudioDMK Ltd has been selected for the CatalyseHer programme, powered by INCO Entrepreneurs and supported by Visa Foundation.

This milestone marks an important moment for our business, and for the purpose that sits at the heart of StudioDMK.

Empowering Women‑Led Businesses Making a Positive Impact

CatalyseHer supports early‑stage, women‑led businesses that are creating positive social or environmental change. Through expert-led sessions, self‑paced learning and peer-to-peer collaboration, the programme helps accelerate the growth of founders who are too often shut out of traditional pathways to opportunity.

Being selected is an honour. It also reinforces why StudioDMK exists.

A Business Built on Purpose

StudioDMK was founded to bring insight and imagination together with purpose. Part of that purpose is deeply personal: supporting women affected by domestic abuse, stalking and harassment. We do this through pro‑bono work, volunteering and financial contributions to organisations working tirelessly in this space.

The mission behind CatalyseHer - empowering founders who want to make a meaningful contribution to society - aligns perfectly with that commitment. It feels like the right programme at exactly the right time.

Why Programmes Like This Still Matter

Opportunities like CatalyseHer remain the exception, not the norm.

According to the British Business Bank, women‑founded businesses receive just 2% of total UK venture capital investment - a statistic that has barely shifted despite years of evidence and advocacy demonstrating the value women create.

As Najada Kumbuli, Head of Investments and Partnerships at Visa Foundation, explains:

'Women entrepreneurs play a crucial role in all economies by driving innovation and impact at scale. This programme aims to address the main challenges faced by women entrepreneurs and create a ripple effect across many communities in the UK.'

Hannah Rhodes, Associate Director at INCO, adds: ' Supporting these entrepreneurs to thrive is at the core of our mission to build a new economy that is green, inclusive and resilient.'

Despite progress, women founders continue to face structural barriers, funding gaps and invisible burdens that make entrepreneurship harder than it needs to be.

A Step Toward Rebalancing the System

Programmes like Catalyse Her not only strengthen the skills and networks founders need to grow; they also help redress a system that was not originally built with women in mind.

I’m incredibly proud that StudioDMK will be part of this year’s cohort. Here’s to growth, purpose, collaboration and a future where women founders are not the exception, but the norm.

Click here to find out more about CatalyseHer UK: https://catalyseher-uk.inco-group.co/