Sunderland businesswoman Victoria Smith and Manchester entrepreneur Lucy Hope are among this year’s winners of a £75k grant from Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Awards.
North East -based Smith claims her Gig Lab software platform will revolutionise the live events sector, while Manchester’s Hope, through her FemTech startup The Daughters of Mars, has developed tampons with a patented prebiotic coating designed to support the vaginal microbiome.
Smith was inspired to develop Gig Lab after seeing first-hand the challenges that venues and promoters face in the live events industry. From time poverty and complex logistics to disconnected systems, these hurdles often hold back independent venues from reaching their full potential.
Gig Lab is her answer to these challenges; a transformative software platform designed to simplify event planning, streamline operations, enhance visibility and empower venues to focus on what really matters: creating unforgettable experiences for their audiences.
Victoria has always had a passion for live events, starting her career at 16 as a box office assistant at Sunderland Empire. Her years working across the country for industry leaders like Live Nation, MAMA, and Academy Music Group taught her invaluable lessons in operations, strategy, and financial scrutiny, providing a solid foundation for her career.
Over time, she felt a pull back to her roots and the independent venues where she spent her teenage years soaking up the sense of community and creative energy. Inspired by the freedom and agility of grassroots spaces, she embraced the chance to work in a world where decisions are made for the love of music and local culture, not just profitability. It’s this passion for championing creativity, emerging talent, and the unique spirit of live events that drives everything she does today.
Smith, finance director at Ghostwriter Consultancy & Events said: “I’m incredibly honoured to win the Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Award and humbled to share my recognition alongside such incredible women developing scientific and medical innovations.
“This award isn’t just about me, it’s about the incredible team at Ghostwriter Consultancy & Events, whose expertise and passion have been the foundation of everything we do. I’m fortunate to work with such a talented group of individuals who share my vision of empowering independent and grassroot venues, and I couldn’t have achieved this without their dedication and support.
“The timing of this award feels especially significant with Sunderland recently being named a Music City, a recognition that highlights the city’s vibrant culture and its commitment to supporting the creative industries. Relocating Ghostwriter from Oxford to Sunderland has been a game-changer for us, opening up opportunities we couldn’t have imagined. With the backing of North East BIC, Innovation SuperNetwork, Creative UK, and Sunderland Culture, we’ve been able to maximise this award and move forward with Gig Lab in a way that’s truly transformational.”
The software is being developed locally by the team at Layers Studio, keeping innovation grounded in the North East. She added: “We’re also proud to collaborate with the University of Sunderland’s Arrow Innovation Project, which is providing cutting-edge academic support to enhance the platform’s AI capabilities. Being part of this vibrant community, in a city that’s fully embracing its identity as a Music City, has been transformative for Ghostwriter. Sunderland’s focus on championing creativity and fostering collaboration has created the perfect environment for innovation to thrive.”
Hope’s hi-tech tampons offer a proactive way for women to care for their vaginal health and tackle preventable conditions that affect billions globally.
A 2024 report by the World Economic Forum and McKinsey Health Institute estimates closing investment gaps in women’s healthcare could add $1 trillion to the global economy annually by 2040, but despite UK government research highlighting significant hurdles for women entrepreneurs, including access to funding, and a lack of networks and visible role models, and despite some growth in FemTech funding, only 2% of venture capital in 2023 went to women’s health startups, highlighting the urgent need for change.
Hope said: ““Winning this award enables us to move closer to launching a product that could improve the lives of 1 in 3 women.”
The Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Awards received 1,452 applications from women founders across the country, along with up to £3.75 million in funding to support them in developing inspiring solutions to pressing societal, environmental, and economic challenges.