CGI joins Barclays Ventures and Skyscanner who return as 2020 AccelerateHER sponsors. A further partnership with Aberdein Considine has also been confirmed with the law firm sponsoring this year’s Rising Star Award for the female founder with the best early stage business idea.

The 2020 AccelerateHER Awards were launched in November with this year’s programme targeting businesswomen whose companies fit into one of the following four categories: MedTech and Science; FinTech and Cyber Security; CleanTech and Climate; and Disruptive Innovation.

On Tuesday, 25 February the semi-finalists will pitch their businesses to a panel of highly experienced judges at an event hosted by CGI at the University of Strathclyde’s Technology and Innovation Centre.

A shortlist of 12 entrants will then progress to this year’s final which is being staged on Thursday, 26th March at Barclays Eagle Lab at Codebase, Edinburgh.

The awards, which celebrate and support aspirational female founders, are running for their fifth consecutive year. Organised by all-female business angel group Investing Women, the awards are designed to inspire and support more female-led companies in Scotland.

They are open to ambitious women who play a leading role in companies with strong global growth potential, providing participants with an ideal platform to connect with Investing Women’s network of angel investors, commercial advisers and other successful businesspeople.

Jackie Waring, CEO of Investing Women, said: “We’re delighted to have CGI confirmed as an AccelerateHER partner for 2020 along with Barclays Ventures and Skyscanner. These and other sponsors add so much value to the AccelerateHER Awards and our wider programme through their own immense experience of supporting a broad range of businesses.”

Lindsay McGranaghan, business unit leader for CGI in Scotland, added: “We are very excited to be involved in this year’s AccelerateHER Awards, a fantastic initiative which recognises and supports female-founded businesses in Scotland. As a global IT and business process services provider, CGI supports diversity and is focused on highlighting the exceptional female business talent which exists in Scotland and across the UK.”