When my co-founder, Pip Wilson, and I launched amicable, we set out to revolutionise the divorce process. 

Combining psychology and technology, we built the UK’s first end-to-end couple-led divorce service. 

But as female founders in the male-dominated legal and tech industries, we encountered significant challenges – ones that continue to hinder women-led start-ups. 

Our journey highlights both the struggles and triumphs of pioneering legal disruption and underscores the urgent need for systemic change to support female entrepreneurs.

Blazing a trail

As a relationship counsellor, I turned my own traumatic divorce into a mission to transform separation. 

Pip, a tech entrepreneur, shared my vision of using technology to make the process kinder and more accessible. 

Together, we launched amicable’s first app in 2015, followed by our full legal service in 2017.

From day one, we faced scepticism – not about our business model, but about our ability as female founders to execute it. Investors, predominantly male, often dismissed our venture as a “lifestyle business”. This perception underestimated the scale of our ambition and the impact amicable would have on the legal industry.

Pioneering legal disruption

Legal services have long been resistant to change, and launching amicable meant challenging deeply ingrained adversarial norms. 

Our biggest test came in 2020 when we won a landmark High Court Judgment (EWFC HCJ 2) that enabled us to continue providing our services. 

This victory was not just a milestone for amicable but a pivotal moment for innovation in law. It demonstrated that technology and consumer-led services have a rightful place in an industry historically dominated by traditional law firms.

Scaling to success

Despite the barriers we faced, amicable thrived. In 2023, our company was acquired by Octopus Group, a major milestone that validated our vision and solidified amicable’s position as a leader in the fast-growing lawtech sector. 

This success is proof that women-led businesses can drive meaningful change. However, our journey also underscores the broader issue of gender bias in funding.

Accelerating action on the funding gap

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is about accelerating action. 

This resonates deeply with me. Despite mixed gender and female-led start-ups consistently outperforming their male only-led counterparts in terms of return on investment, only 2% of venture capital in Europe goes to all-female teams, according to the European Commission.

This disparity isn’t due to a lack of ambition or talent – it’s systemic bias. Investors must actively commit to funding diverse leadership, and policymakers should introduce stronger incentives for gender-equal investment. Without these changes, countless innovative businesses led by women will struggle to get off the ground.

Driving economic growth

There’s an economic imperative for action. The liberalisation of legal regulations in England and Wales has enabled companies like amicable to thrive, creating jobs, improving efficiency and contributing to the UK’s expanding digital economy. 

With economic growth high on the UK government’s agenda, policymakers should look to lawtech as an example of an industry that flourishes when regulation supports, rather than stifles, innovation. Instead of dragging consumer-focused businesses into outdated regulatory frameworks, policymakers should find ways to free up regulation and encourage more disruption.

Championing a kinder divorce

From the beginning, Pip and I have been committed to changing the status quo. Our recent ad campaign – featured across the London Underground, buses and radio – has captured public attention, reinforcing the need for a conflict-free approach to divorce.

Thousands of couples have successfully separated through our tech-driven process, avoiding unnecessary costs and court battles. We have grown the company to exit via Octopus Group in the UK and now draft more consent orders than almost anyone else in England and Wales. This success is a testament to the power of female-led innovation and resilience in the face of industry barriers.

The challenges I faced as a female founder are not unique to me. They are part of a broader pattern of systemic bias that continues to hold women back. But our journey with amicable proves that women-led businesses can disrupt industries, scale successfully and drive economic growth. To truly level the playing field, we need a commitment from investors, policymakers and industry leaders to support female entrepreneurs. The future of innovation depends on it.

Kate Daly is co-founder of online divorce services-provider amicable.