Cambridge Female Founders Network
A New Model for Backing Female Founders
We’re building and testing a new founder-support model in Cambridge — one of the world’s most connected innovation ecosystems — with the ambition to refine it here before scaling it more widely.
This page is for supporters who want to help fund and build that experiment.
Why Cambridge?
Cambridge is one of the world’s most enduring innovation engines—home to over 5,000 knowledge-intensive companies, £2.3B raised in 2024, and a seed-to-Series A conversion rate that surpasses the Bay Area. That density of talent, capital and institutions makes Cambridge the ideal testbed to build, pressure-test and prove a better model for backing women founders.
How CFFN Works
CFFN is built by founders, for founders — an agile connective layer that activates the space between existing programmes, institutions and capital across Cambridge.
Community
Curated, peer-to-peer spaces built for trust and follow-through — not transactional networking.
Capability
Practical build support founders can use immediately: fundraising readiness, hiring, ops, scaling.
Capital & Coalition
Warm pathways to investors, advisors and partners — activating links across founders, capital and institutions.
2025 in Numbers
In less than 1 year, CFFN has become a central node for women founders across Cambridge.
210 Female Founders
with another 103 in the pipeline
52 Events Hosted
Official Partners
Support CFFN
Your contribution funds the founder infrastructure we’re building in Cambridge: curated support, practical capability, and warm pathways to capital. Our supporter tiers are intentionally small and close to the work. Choose the level that reflects how closely you’d like to be involved in backing women-led innovation in Cambridge.
Amplifier
£500
Amplifiers help keep the network active, accessible and responsive.
You help us to:
Run regular founder meet-ups, salons and supper clubs
Ensure early-stage founders can access core programming
You receive:
Recognition as a CFFN Amplifier (with your consent)
Invitations to select open events and briefings
Fellow
£1,000
Fellows sustain the core of CFFN’s founder support across the year.
You help us to:
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Run founder-only events, workshops and peer spaces
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Build and update practical resources that save founders time and cost
You receive:
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Recognition as a CFFN Fellow (with your consent)
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Invitations to flagship events and curated small-group conversations
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Short impact updates on what your support has unlocked
Senior Fellow
£2,500
Senior Fellows back more targeted, strategic work around female founders in Cambridge.
You help us to:
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Run founder-only events, workshops and peer spaces
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Build and update practical resources that save founders time and cost
You receive:
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Recognition as a CFFN Senior Fellow (with your consent)
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Priority access to small dinners and strategic sessions
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Opportunities to offer guidance, host conversations or co-shape key strands of programming
Please note 'Fellowship' is an annual role. No auto-renewal is set up at this time
Cambridge Female Founders Network operates as a UK Community Interest Company (Company Limited by Guarantee). All contributions are used solely to support our non-profit mission and activities, and no profits are distributed to members or directors. At present, donations are not tax-deductible.
2026 Ambitions
Stronger infrastructure for founders
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Launch our members’ portal for real-time intros to investors, advisors, service providers, plus key resources.
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Consistent calendar of salons, dinners and working sessions
Stronger infrastructure for founders
Cleaner routes to capital & commercialisation
Stronger infrastructure for founders
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3 annual fundraise-prep cohorts (50+ founders)
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Capital readiness & commercialisation track (IP, finance, legal, strategy)
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Warm investor pathways and matching
An expanded coalition
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Support 400+ founders (up from 200)
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Secure 10 ecosystem partners (colleges, funds, institutes)
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Co-host targeted events and roundtables
About Us
Meet our founding team of incredible leaders across varying sectors who believed in the CFFN mission from the beginning.
Xann Schwinn
Founding Member & CEO
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Maya Gavin
Founding Member & CSO
David Cleevely CBE
Founding Member & Chair
Pam Garside
Founding Member
James Thomas
Founding Member & Catalyst