INSIGHTS / Blog

This March, we’re celebrating International Women’s Day by spotlighting the women driving innovation within the SETsquared partnership, showcasing the breadth of roles, journeys, and impact throughout the ecosystem.

As an experienced founder across science, tech, and media – and a former winner of Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Award – Becky Sage brings her rich cross‑industry expertise into her role as Entrepreneur in Residence with SETsquared Bristol, mentoring the next wave of female, ethical innovators.

Becky reflects on the power of storytelling, the challenges women still face in leadership, the role of ecosystems and networks in pushing back, and why she believes a compassionate, multi‑layered approach to leading has the greatest impact.

The power of storytelling

Winning Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Award in 2016 was a proud moment for me, but also a moment of realisation. Receiving such a prestigious accolade so early in my entrepreneurial journey, alongside fellow women in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM), was truly empowering. Walking into a room filled with predominantly women in STEM for the first time, I felt something new. Instead of being guarded or ready to prove myself, I felt focused, grounded and ready to take the lead with my business. I found myself thinking: why can’t this be the norm?

The great news is that things are shifting, but there is still work to be done. One of my most vivid memories was after the British Business Awards. Eight other women and I squeezed into the back of a taxi heading across London, sharing stories and experiences. I was surrounded by incredibly accomplished leaders who had been in my shoes, and I had been in theirs. The same pride, the same success, but also the same challenges.

I’ve had so many experiences like this, surrounded by inspirational female founders, talking about what works and what doesn’t, that have stayed with me. The power of storytelling remains a core pillar of my approach to mentorship, leadership, and podcasting. The more open we are about our wins and struggles, the more we can collectively move forward. It’s one of the main reasons I entered the podcasting space.

I founded The Mindstyling Podcast back in 2020 alongside my coach, Amy Armstrong. It embodies that very conversation from that taxi ride, bringing small-room discussions into the open. We focused on a diverse range of female founders, helping listeners feel less isolated and, crucially, see paths forward rather than barriers. I also co-host the Founded and Grounded podcast, which takes a broader look at platforming the realities of start-up life.

No single story can stand for all women; one size certainly doesn’t fit all. I want to share my story but also to platform others in a positive light – that’s why podcasting and social media, despite the growing polarisation of online discourse, can be such powerful tools. For me, the real value lies in helping others move forward.

Challenges remain – but ecosystems and networks are fighting back

That taxi ride really hit home for me – especially hearing the persistent challenges women face: being undermined, dismissed, or underestimated. I had once thought these challenges were “just me.” They’re not.

Barriers to entry still exist, from access to funding, networks and confidence, to the deeper systemic issues that continue to subtly push people to the margins. They may seem small in isolation, but over time, they chip away, requiring an additional layer of resilience and energy.

At the same time, the socio-political landscape has shifted rapidly. There has been real progress driven by movements that have amplified voices and challenged norms, but this has also been met with increasing negativity and, at times, a visible backlash. It creates a noisier, more complex environment to navigate – one where progress and resistance coexist.

Despite this, what stands out far more strongly to me is how ecosystems and networks are not only responding but actively fighting back. Support has improved – more mentorship, more tailored guidance, more spaces that recognise that one size does not fit all. Networks are growing from this support, becoming not just a source of opportunity, but also a source of understanding and shared experience.

When people come together and realise their challenges are not isolated, it shifts the narrative from individual struggle to collective momentum. Strong ecosystems and networks are no longer just support systems; they are engines for change. They enable people to push forward despite barriers, challenge outdated norms, and build businesses, communities, and cultures that reflect a more inclusive future.

Leading the right way: a framework for impact

Having been both a founder and an Entrepreneur in Residence, mentoring other founders, I’ve learned that how we lead makes a huge difference.

Compassion is at the core of my leadership lens – built on four pillars: wisdom, strength, kindness and courage. These pillars help me stay grounded in who I am, make thoughtful decisions under pressure, and create an environment where people feel both supported and challenged. They remind me that leadership is not about perfection, but about showing up with clarity, humanity, and a genuine commitment to helping others grow.

Leading with impact isn’t about having the sharpest pitch or the loudest voice; it’s about how I move through uncertainty and make decisions alongside the people I support. If I can bring enough wisdom, strength, kindness and courage into those moments – and help founders do the same – then I know I’m fulfilling my role as both a leader and mentor.

What excites me, and my advice for the next wave of women in innovation

What excites me most about the next wave of women in innovation is not that the challenges have disappeared, but that more and more women are moving forward despite them, doing so on their own terms.

I see female leaders building impactful businesses, securing major opportunities, and stepping onto global stages with a strong sense of purpose and integrity. What feels especially powerful is that many of these women aren’t just succeeding individually, they’re bringing others with them, reshaping cultures rather than pulling the ladder up behind them.

That’s where my optimism lies.

A growing sense of collective progress led by founders who know the environments they want to create because they’ve experienced what doesn’t work. Rather than becoming hardened by those challenges, they’re choosing compassion, clarity and courage – a genuine ‘backlash to the backlash,’ driven by meaningful action rather than noise.

Learn about yourself

Start with yourself. Build that self-awareness and confidence and understand what you need to show up at your best, because everything else stems from there. Stay focused on what you’re trying to build, even when the environment feels distracting or difficult, and remember that there is no single, right path; you’re creating it as you go.

Surround yourself with A+ people

Build a network of people who genuinely support you and your mission, both in your personal and professional lives. People who challenge you in the right ways, and who help you move forward rather than hold you back.

Embrace the ebbs and flows

Leadership isn’t a constant upward trajectory; it’s dynamic, and that’s okay. If you can stay connected to your purpose, build strong networks around you, and lead in a way that feels true to who you are, you won’t just navigate the space, but you’ll help redefine it.