A women in business network can be the single most impactful thing you join this year. Running a business as a woman, often while navigating funding gaps, underrepresentation, and the juggling act of work and family, can feel isolating. The right women in business network gives you connections, referrals, support, and opportunities that are hard to find on your own.
The Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship found that expanding access to networking and peer-to-peer support is vital for narrowing the gender gap in business. Women are less likely than men to have access to established business networks, and that gap in connections often translates directly into a gap in opportunities.
The good news is that the UK’s landscape of women in business networks has never been stronger. From national organisations with thousands of members to intimate local groups that meet over coffee, there is a community out there for every stage, every industry, and every ambition level.
Here is our guide to the best women in business networks you can join in 2026.
National Women in Business Network Options
AllBright everywoman
AllBright everywoman is one of the UK’s most established platforms for professional women, with over three decades of supporting women’s leadership and progression. The organisation offers corporate memberships, individual memberships, and a range of programmes including the Tide everywoman Entrepreneur Awards, the Female Founder Growth Forum, and the AllBright everywoman Pitch Day.
Individual membership includes access to their Ascende leadership development platform (with AI coaching and mentor matching), monthly in-person networking events at Mortimer House in London, exclusive rates at co-working spaces, and a community of professional women across sectors and seniority levels.
Best for: Professional women and established entrepreneurs looking for structured leadership development alongside networking.
Website: allbrighteverywoman.com
The Athena Network
Founded in 2005 by Jacqueline Rogers, The Athena Network has grown from local meetings into the UK’s largest online networking membership for women in business. The network now runs over 100 weekly online meetings across the UK, with international groups in Singapore and expanding into Europe.
What makes Athena distinctive is its referrals-focused approach. Members do not just meet and chat. The network is built around actively generating business for each other through structured referral sessions. You can visit any group across the network using their PASS+ system before committing to a regular group.
Best for: Business owners and freelancers who want structured, referral-generating networking with a regular weekly commitment.
Website: theathenanetwork.com
Female Founders Rise
Founded in 2022 by serial entrepreneur and angel investor Emmie Faust, Female Founders Rise has rapidly grown to over 11,000 members across the UK. It is a certified B Corporation that supports female and non-binary founders from pre-revenue through to £1 million and beyond.
The network offers a Fundraising Accelerator for founders seeking investment, a B2B Chapter for business-to-business founders focused on generating referrals and content, a Personal Branding Challenge, and Summit Series events held in London, Cardiff, and Manchester. The summits feature a distinctive “reverse pitching” format where investors pitch to founders rather than the other way round.
Best for: Founders who are building scalable businesses and want access to investors, fundraising support, and a large national community.
Website: femalefoundersrise.com
Female Founders Forum
Run by The Entrepreneurs Network in partnership with Barclays, the Female Founders Forum connects established female entrepreneurs with rising founders. The Forum was the first organisation to release data on the UK’s equity funding gap, working with data partner Beauhurst, and continues to publish influential annual reports that shape policy around gender and business.
Beyond research, the Forum hosts events designed to amplify the voices of ambitious female founders and facilitate connections between experienced entrepreneurs and those on the cusp of rapid growth. If you want to be plugged into the policy and investment side of female entrepreneurship, this is the network.
Best for: Growth-stage founders interested in investment, policy advocacy, and connecting with high-profile female entrepreneurs.
Website: tenentrepreneurs.org/aboutfff
Forward Ladies
Forward Ladies is one of the most active women’s business networks in the North of England, running a busy calendar of events throughout the year. Founded in 2005 and based in Leeds, the network focuses on connecting, developing, and promoting women in business through networking events, awards, conferences, and leadership development programmes.
Best for: Women in business across the North of England who want frequent, accessible local events combined with national recognition opportunities.
Website: forwardladies.com
Regional Women in Business Network Groups
Connect Women in Biz (Yorkshire)
Founded by Corinna Nicol in 2019, Connect Women in Biz has grown into a community of over 2,400 female founders across Yorkshire and beyond. The network runs two to three events every week, ranging from relaxed coffee and co-working mornings to evening networking, workshops, and business development sessions.
Events currently run in Leeds, Harrogate, and Wakefield, with online options available. Corinna also launched the Connect Business Directory, an online directory showcasing over 140 women-owned businesses, which attracted more than 100 listings within its first 24 hours.
The network is now expanding through Community Partners who bring the events to their own local areas under the Connect Women in Biz brand.
Best for: Women in business across Yorkshire who want regular, low-pressure networking combined with practical workshops and co-working.
Website: connectwomeninbiz.co.uk
Female Founder UK (Teesside and expanding)
Founded by Stockton-based business owner Max Freer alongside her OOK brand marketing agency, Female Founder UK provides mentoring, peer support, and business guidance specifically designed for female entrepreneurs balancing business with caring and family responsibilities.
The network was born from Max’s observation that, despite a significant growth in women-led businesses on Teesside, there was simply no tailored support available. Events are now planned across Teesside, Manchester, and London as the network expands nationally.
Best for: Female founders in the North East (and increasingly beyond) who want mentoring, peer support, and a holistic approach that acknowledges the realities of balancing business with family life.
Make It Your Business (South East)
Make It Your Business (MIYB) is a not-for-profit business community supporting ambitious women to start, grow, and scale businesses. Founded by Alison Cork and now led by Debbie Waite, MIYB hosts events three times a year featuring keynote speakers, panel conversations, audience Q&A, and networking.
Currently based in Tunbridge Wells, the network’s 2026 focus is on strengthening its South East community. Events are held at the Tunbridge Wells Town Hall and emphasise practical insight, visible role models, and genuine connection over transactional networking.
Best for: Women in business across Kent and the South East looking for high-quality, curated events in an encouraging environment.
Website: makeityourbusiness.co.uk
Mums in Business Network (Kent)
As the name suggests, Mums in Business is designed for women juggling business ownership with family life, though the network is quick to clarify that you do not need to be a mum of human children to join. Plant mums, dog mums, and carers for elderly parents are all welcome.
Now led by Grainne (who took the reins in late 2025), the network runs in-person events across Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells, and soon Tonbridge, with a private online community. All venues are specifically chosen to be mum-friendly.
Best for: Women building businesses around family responsibilities in Kent, who want a supportive, no-pressure community.
Website: mibnetwork.org.uk
COCO Women Founders (Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire)
COCO Women Founders brings together female founders, freelancers, and business owners through regular networking events, mastermind sessions, and social gatherings. Membership includes monthly virtual networking, exclusive WhatsApp groups, a shared member directory, and members-only events.
In-person events currently run across Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, with online events open to women from further afield. The network emphasises relationship-building over transactional networking, creating spaces where women can share challenges openly, celebrate wins together, and hold each other accountable.
Best for: Women in business across Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire who want a close-knit membership community with both online and in-person options.
Website: coco-womenfounders.com
Women In Business Network (Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and online)
WIBN runs a busy calendar of events across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, including groups in St Albans, Hatfield, Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City, Letchworth, Bishop’s Stortford, Luton, Dunstable, and Ampthill. National online groups are also available for members who cannot attend in person.
Best for: Women in business across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire who want regular local networking.
Website: womensbusinessnetwork.co.uk (Eventbrite: search “Women In Business Network”)
Specialist Women in Business Network Communities
WiRE (Women in Rural Enterprise)
WiRE is the only national women’s business support network specifically for women in rural enterprise. Run from Harper Adams University in Shropshire, it offers access to 50 WiRE networks across the UK where rural businesswomen share advice, learn essential business skills, and build confidence in a supportive environment.
If you run a farm-based business, rural tourism operation, countryside craft business, or any enterprise in a rural area, WiRE connects you with women who understand the unique challenges of rural entrepreneurship.
Best for: Women running businesses in rural areas across the UK.
British Association of Women Entrepreneurs (BAWE)
BAWE connects female founders and directors with established business leaders across a wide range of industries. As part of an international network, BAWE offers UK-based women entrepreneurs the opportunity to connect not just domestically but with businesswomen globally.
Best for: Established female business owners who want to connect with experienced entrepreneurs both in the UK and internationally.
How to Choose the Right Women in Business Network
With so many options available, picking the right network comes down to a few practical questions.
What stage is your business at? If you are pre-revenue or just starting out, communities like Female Founders Rise or COCO Women Founders offer accessible entry points. If you are scaling and seeking investment, the Female Founders Forum or AllBright everywoman’s programmes may be a better fit.
Do you want online or in-person? The Athena Network and WIBN both offer strong online options if geography is a barrier. Most regional networks like Connect Women in Biz and COCO offer a mix of both.
Are you looking for referrals or support? The Athena Network is explicitly structured around generating referrals and new business. Others like Mums in Business and Make It Your Business focus more on peer support, encouragement, and learning.
What can you commit? Some networks require weekly attendance. Others meet monthly or quarterly. Be realistic about your schedule before signing up, as the value of any network comes from showing up consistently.
Try before you commit. Most networks offer a free or low-cost trial session. Attend two or three different groups before deciding where to invest your time and membership fees.
Why Join More Than One Women in Business Network
Many successful businesswomen belong to more than one women in business network, each serving a different purpose. You might use a local group for referrals and day-to-day support, a national women in business network for visibility and credibility, and a specialist community for industry-specific connections.
The key is not to spread yourself too thin. Pick one or two that genuinely serve your current business needs, show up consistently, and give as much as you take. The women who get the most out of networking are the ones who actively contribute: sharing referrals, offering advice, showing up for others, and building relationships that go beyond exchanging business cards.
The women in business network options listed above are a starting point. Many more exist at local, regional, and industry-specific levels across the UK. If none of these feel like the right fit, search for a women in business network in your area, ask in local Facebook groups, or check Eventbrite for upcoming events near you.
Know a women in business network we should feature? Get in touch at [email protected] and we will add it to this guide.
Liz Wiley is Editor of Prowess.org.uk and a business coach and enterprise trainer with more than 15 years’ experience supporting entrepreneurs and small business owners across the UK.