Harper Adams University
Developing women-owned business to support the rural economy
Women in Rural Enterprise (WiRE) has helped create and sustain a very large number of women-owned small rural businesses nationwide. Stemming from the University’s research identifying women’s barriers to new business development, WiRE provides a unique university—business network that mentors and gives practical help to women developing rural businesses. It has featured as a best-practice case study in numerous reports, including an OECD regional study on women entrepreneurship, and its approach is being adopted in South Africa, China and the Middle East.