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2025-04-05-accounts

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REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1210344

Report of the Trustees

for the Year Ended 5 April 2025

for

WOMEN WHO BUILD

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WOMEN WHO BUILD

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 5 April 2025

1. INTRODUCTION

The Trustees present their Report for the year ended 5 April 2025.

Reference and administrative details.

The legal name of the charity is: Women Who Build. The charity is also known by its operating name, WWB.

The charity's areas of operation and UK charitable registration.

The charity is registered in England & Wales with the Charity Commission in England & Wales (CCEW) with charity number 1210344.

Legal structure of the charity.

The charity is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in England & Wales. The governing document of the charity is the constitution of the CIO as approved by the CCEW.

There are no restrictions in the governing documents on the operation of the Charity other than those imposed by Charity Law.

The trustees are all individuals.

2. OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

The purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document.

The objects of Women Who Build are:

A) To advance education in the subject of entrepreneurship for the public benefit, including but not limited to:

  1. Providing courses, workshops, and seminars on entrepreneurial skills and knowledge.

  2. Developing and disseminating educational resources on business creation and management.

  3. Offering mentorship programmes to aspiring entrepreneurs.

B) To promote equality, particularly between women and men, and to eliminate gender and other forms of discrimination for the public benefit.

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WOMEN WHO BUILD

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 5 April 2025

The main activities undertaken during the year to further the charity's purpose for the public benefit.

The trustees have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and consider that the activities undertaken during the year have provided clear public benefit in furtherance of the charity’s objects.

Women Who Build advances its charitable purposes for the public benefit through the following key initiatives:

These initiatives collectively empower female university students with the skills, knowledge, and networks necessary to thrive in the entrepreneurial landscape.

Resources used in the activities undertaken during the year.

Women Who Build relies on a small, dedicated team of volunteers to deliver events, programmes, and content to students throughout the year. As a registered charity, Women Who Build benefits from non-profit discounts on technology and other resources, enabling the charity to deliver content effectively and sustainably.

3. ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

The main achievements and performance of the charity during the year.

In the year ended 5 April 2025, Women Who Build reached a milestone of 1,500+ student community members across 35+ universities. Some key successes include:

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WOMEN WHO BUILD

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 5 April 2025

Fundraising activities during the year.

All of the charity's funding comes from donations. Women Who Build raised £3,517.29 in total funding in the year ended 5 April 2025, which was more than adequate to fund the charity's operations during the period.

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WOMEN WHO BUILD

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 5 April 2025

The sources of those funds were:

The difference the charity's performance during the year has made to the beneficiaries of the charity.

During the year ended 5 April 2025, Women Who Build has significantly advanced its charitable purposes, benefiting its beneficiaries in several key ways:

  1. Advancement of Education: Women Who Build has expanded educational opportunities by delivering comprehensive programmes in entrepreneurship, enabling beneficiaries to acquire practical skills and knowledge essential for business creation and management.

  2. Promotion of Equality: By focusing on women in entrepreneurship, the organisation continues to reduce gender disparities and promote equality, ensuring female students have equitable access to entrepreneurial opportunities and resources.

  3. Skills Development: Through courses, workshops, mentorship programmes, and practical experiences, beneficiaries have gained the confidence and expertise needed to pursue successful entrepreneurial ventures.

These impacts reflect Women Who Build’s ongoing commitment to empowering female university students and fostering gender diversity in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The degree to which the achievements and performance during the year have benefited wider society.

Founded by former McKinsey consultants and technology investors, Women Who Build is on a mission to close the gender gap in entrepreneurship. With only 2% of global venture capital funding allocated to female-founded companies, Women Who Build empowers female university students to consider founding companies as a viable career path. Numerous graduates of Women Who Build programmes are already launching businesses, creating jobs, and strengthening their communities – demonstrating the positive impact the charity has on wider society by providing access to entrepreneurial resources that catalyse meaningful economic growth in the UK.

Beyond supporting entrepreneurship, Women Who Build addresses unconscious biases that hinder women’s progress in tech through educational initiatives that foster critical thinking and evidence-based understanding of gender bias. By equipping women with confidence, knowledge, and resources, the organisation empowers them to challenge discriminatory practices as entrepreneurs and employees. This not only advances economic development but also drives broader social change by promoting gender equality and creating a supportive community where women feel valued and encouraged to pursue leadership roles in technology and innovation.

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WOMEN WHO BUILD

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 5 April 2025

4. FINANCIAL REVIEW

Women Who Build has managed its finances prudently in line with Charity Commission guidance. The charity maintains robust internal controls to ensure effective and transparent management of funds. Expenditure is prioritised towards activities that directly support the charity’s purposes. The trustees are committed to ensuring that funds are used efficiently and transparently in line with the organisation’s objectives.

The charity's financial position at the end of the year ended 5 April 2025.

The financial position of the charity at 5 April 2025, as more fully detailed in the accounts, can be summarised as follows:

Related party transactions.

Out-of-pocket expenses of £891.70 were incurred by a trustee on behalf of the charity prior to its registration as a CIO. These costs were recognised as an expense in the year ended 5 April 2025 and were repaid after the financial year-end in accordance with the charity’s conflicts of interest policy and trustee approval. The trustees are comfortable with this disclosed related party transaction because the costs were incurred wholly for the charity’s benefit prior to registration and no trustee derived any personal benefit beyond reimbursement of actual expenses.

Financial review of the position at the reporting date, 5 April 2025.

During the year ended 5 April 2025, Women Who Build raised £3,517.29 from a corporate donor in the venture capital industry and individual personal donations. This funding was more than sufficient to cover the charity’s operational costs during the period. The trustees consider the charity’s financial performance for the year to be satisfactory.

Reserves policy.

The trustees aim to maintain a reserves level sufficient to ensure the organisation can continue operations and withstand unforeseen financial challenges.

Given the organisation’s current operating model – with low, largely variable costs and key initiatives funded directly by collaborating firms – the trustees are comfortable not setting a formal reserves target at this stage. A formal reserves policy will be developed as the organisation grows and operational needs become clearer.

Availability and adequacy of assets of each of the funds.

The board of trustees is satisfied that the charity's assets are available and adequate to fulfil its obligations and to ensure the charity’s continued operation for the foreseeable future.

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WOMEN WHO BUILD

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 5 April 2025

Principal funding sources in the year and how these support the key objectives of the charity.

The main source of funding for Women Who Build is donations. This funding enables Women Who Build to organise and deliver the various initiatives – including events and programmes – that support the key objectives of Women Who Build.

5. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document.

Women Who Build is governed by a CIO Foundation Constitution.

The methods used to recruit and appoint new charity trustees.

Current Women Who Build trustees appoint new charity trustees, provided these individuals are eligible for trusteeship and understand the functions and duties of a trustee. There must be at least three charity trustees. There is no maximum number of charity trustees that may be appointed to the CIO, and no set term for each trustee. Any appointment must be made at a meeting held according to the ordinary practice of the appointing body.

Trustees’ responsibilities.

The trustees are responsible for complying with UK charity law, public benefit standards, safeguarding assets, ensuring proper conduct of activities, and preparing an annual report documenting the charity’s achievements and impact. They ensure speakers and mentors are selected based on academic or professional merit, relevance, and emotional intelligence and that educational content remains impartial to allow students to form independent views.

Safeguarding.

Women Who Build has a safeguarding policy in place appropriate to its activities and beneficiary group. The trustees regularly review safeguarding arrangements to ensure participant welfare and compliance with best practice.

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WOMEN WHO BUILD

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 5 April 2025

Principal risks and uncertainties.

Women Who Build has identified the following key risks and has put appropriate mitigations in place:

1. Funding decline

Risk: A sustained decline in sponsorship or funding could undermine Women Who Build’s financial sustainability.

Mitigation: The trustees maintain regular engagement with both current and prospective donors, while ensuring the organisation remains relevant and visible within the industry.

2. Volunteer engagement decline

Risk: A significant reduction in volunteer participation could undermine Women Who Build’s ability to deliver its programmes effectively.

Mitigation: Volunteers are engaged through regular feedback collection, structured volunteer meetings, and public recognition of contributions via Women Who Build’s communication channels.

3. Safeguarding

Risk: As a charity working directly with students, safeguarding failures could expose beneficiaries to harm and create reputational and legal risks.

Mitigation: An up-to-date safeguarding policy is in place and has been read by all team members. New team members review the policy during onboarding, and volunteers are signposted to safeguarding standards and responsibilities.

Factors likely to affect future financial performance.

Although support from the industry is currently strong, we remain mindful that future support could be affected by external factors beyond our control, such as changes in the macroeconomic environment.

6. FUTURE PLANS

Women Who Build will continue to focus on delivering high-quality content, events and programmes to students. The organisation plans to:

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WOMEN WHO BUILD

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 5 April 2025

7. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered Charity Number

1210344

Registered Address

Women Who Build 124 City Road LONDON EC1V 2NX

Trustees

Wassila Ayouch

Victoria Helena Faber

Caroline Britt Matilda Hultman

Report of the trustees, approved by order of the board of trustees, as the company directors,

31.01.2026 on ................................... and signed on the board's behalf by:

................................................. Wassila Ayouch, Trustee

................................................. Victoria Helena Faber, Trustee

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WOMEN WHO BUILD: SAFEGUARDING POLICY

INTRODUCTION

Women Who Build, hereby known as WWB, (the charity) is a run for the following purposes:

A) To advance education in the subject of entrepreneurship for the public benefit, including but not limited to:

  1. Providing courses, workshops, and seminars on entrepreneurial skills and knowledge.

  2. Developing and disseminating educational resources on business creation and management.

  3. Offering mentorship programmes to aspiring entrepreneurs.

B) To promote equality, particularly between women and men, and to eliminate gender and other forms of discrimination for the public benefit.

THE PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THIS POLICY STATEMENT

The purpose of this policy statement is:

This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of WWB, including senior managers and the board of trustees, volunteers and students.

LEGAL FRAMEWORK

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. A summary of the key legislation and guidance is available from www.nspcc.org.uk/childprotection.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

This policy statement should be read alongside our organisational policies, procedures, guidance, and other related documents:

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THE RISKS TO CHILDREN:

Children can be vulnerable to different forms of abuse and harm. It is important to recognise that abuse and harm of children can cover a wide range of circumstances and behaviours. For example, children can be at risk of:

The causal factors of any such harm and/or abuse can also be wide-ranging. For example, children can be placed at risk by family members or members of the community.

WE BELIEVE THAT:

Children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them.

To do this we recognise that:

WE WILL SEEK TO KEEP CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE SAFE BY:

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SAFEGUARDING PRINCIPLES

Safeguarding children and young people from harm and abuse is an essential responsibility for WWB. We are committed to ensuring that any child or young person who comes into contact with our services is properly safeguarded.

Every person under this policy must ensure that they play an active role in ensuring that children and young people are properly safeguarded. Every person under this policy holds responsibility for:

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RESPONDING TO A SAFEGUARDING CONCERN

Where a child or young person is at immediate risk of serious harm, call 999. Thereafter, an available allocated safeguarding lead should be contacted as soon as is reasonably practicable.

Where there is a safeguarding concern but no immediate risk of serious harm, the person who has heard or witnessed this concern should consult with an available safeguarding lead as soon as practicable and by no later than the end of the same day.

Where any child or young person makes a disclosure relating to harm or abuse, it is important for that person to:

Upon receipt of any safeguarding concern, all safeguarding leads shall consult with any other relevant persons and will make any appropriate referrals to the relevant authorities, such as the application Local Authority Children’s Services department or the police.

REPORTING CONCERNS ABOUT OTHER ADULTS

Where any person has a concern regarding the conduct of an adult connected to WWB, which poses or may pose a safeguarding risk to children or young people such as:

This must be raised in the first instance with an available safeguarding lead (or where this is not appropriate, a different senior member of the organisation) so that the next appropriate steps may be agreed and actioned.

Usually, any appropriate steps following a safeguarding referral in respect of an individual connected to WWB will include either:

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Any person within WWB who has allegations made against them shall be informed properly in a formal meeting of the particulars of the allegations and the relevant next steps which shall be taken. Such a meeting should ordinarily be held by a safeguarding lead. On certain occasions, such a meeting may not be convened until that has been approved by any authorities involved (such as the police or the relevant Local Authority).

Any person from within WWB who has allegations made against them shall be treated fairly. All enquiries, investigations and decisions taken shall be just and fair, with the safety of any child or young person concerned at the heart of the process.

Any person from within WWB who makes an allegation against another person from within the charity shall be listened to, taken seriously and shall be treated fairly and justly throughout the process of enquiries, investigations and decision making.

CONTACT DETAILS

NOMINATED SAFEGUARDING LEAD

Name: Victoria Faber

Email: victoria-faber@web.de

DEPUTY SAFEGUARDING LEAD

Name: Wassila Ayouch

Email: wassila.ayouch@sciencespo.fr

TRUSTEE/SENIOR LEAD FOR SAFEGUARDING AND CHILD PROTECTION

Name: Caroline Hultman

Email: caroline@j12ventures.com

NSPCC HELPLINE

0808 800 5000

REVIEW DATE

We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually.

This policy was last reviewed on: 28 January 2026

Signed:

Date: 31.01.2026

Women Who Build Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) – Year Ended 5 April 2025

Year 2024 2025 Financial Year
Statement of Financial Activities
For the year ended 5 April 2025¹		 Oct '24(4-31)
Nov '24
Dec '24		 Jan '25
Feb '25
Mar '25
Apr ’25(1–5)		 4 October '24 - 5 April '25
Income ²
Donations and Legacies £0.00
£0.00
£968.99		 £2,548.30
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00		 £3,517.29
Individual Donations
Corporate Donations
Grants		 £0.00
£0.00
£968.99
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00		 £48.30
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£2,500.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00		 £1,017.29
£2,500.00
£0.00
Charitable Activities £0.00
£0.00
£0.00		 £0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00		 £0.00
Event Ticket Income
Programme / Membership Fees		 £0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00		 £0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00		 £0.00
£0.00
Other Trading Activities £0.00
£0.00
£0.00		 £0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00		 £0.00
Investments £0.00
£0.00
£0.00		 £0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00		 £0.00
Total Income £0.00
£0.00
£968.99		 £2,548.30
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00		 £3,517.29
Expenditure 0
Raising Funds £0.00
£0.00
£0.00		 £0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00		 £0.00
Charitable Activities ³ £995.36
£116.25
£249.90		 £91.26
£101.94
£110.20
£29.53		 £1,694.44
Programme & Event Delivery Costs
Technology & Digital Tool Costs
Pre-incorporation & Setup Costs		 £21.60
£0.00
£0.00
£82.06
£116.25
£249.90
£891.70
£0.00
£0.00		 £0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£91.26
£101.94
£110.20
£29.53
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00		 £21.60
£781.14
£891.70
Other / Governance Costs £0.00
£0.00
£0.00		 £0.00
£12.00
£44.99
£0.00		 £56.99
Legal & Accounting Fees
Registered Office & Address Services		 £0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00		 £0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£12.00
£44.99
£0.00		 £0.00
£56.99
Total Expenditure £995.36
£116.25
£249.90		 £91.26
£113.94
£155.19
£29.53		 £1,751.43
Net Income / (Expenditure) -£995.36
-£116.25
£719.09		 £2,457.04
-£113.94
-£155.19
-£29.53		 £1,765.86

Notes:

¹ No comparative figures are presented as this is the charity’s first year of operation.

² All income received in the year relates to unrestricted funds; the charity held no restricted or endowment funds during the period.

³ Pre‑registration trustee expenses of £891.70 were recognised as a liability at the year end and repaid after the year end.