Tania Gerard named Female Entrepreneur of the Year 2026
Tania Gerard, founder and Managing Director of Tania Gerard Digital, has been named Female Entrepreneur of the Year at the East Midlands Enterprising Women Awards 2026.
The award, sponsored by law firm Freeths, was presented on 25 September at a sold-out ceremony at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest. Organised by East Midlands Chamber's Enterprising Women network and hosted by ITV presenter Emma Jesson, the evening recognised women in business across ten categories.
Recognition for inclusive marketing
Tania Gerard Digital helps organisations make their marketing, websites and workplaces accessible to everyone. That includes disabled and neurodivergent customers, who are often left out.
The consultancy works with companies, charities, governing bodies and educational institutions across the UK and the US. It provides:
Accessible marketing strategy, from WCAG-compliant websites to content people can read, navigate and act on
Neuroinclusion training for leaders and teams, so neurodivergent employees can thrive rather than burn out
Keynotes and workshops on inclusive leadership, accessibility and the business case for both
What the judges said
Freeths Office Managing Partner Lisa Gilligan praised the entrepreneurial drive behind the business and its commitment to doing things authentically and for the right reasons. She said both Tania and her business is "absolutely flying and it is making a difference in people's lives."
In Tania's words
"When my name was read out, I was in a complete state of shock, as anyone watching me on stage could probably tell.
To me, this award says accessibility has moved from a light to a core business strategy. And I'm proud that women are leading that shift. We're not asking permission to make a difference anymore. We're spotting what's broken, building the businesses that fix it and getting on with it.
Thank you to East Midlands Chamber, the Enterprising Women network, Freeths and every finalist in my category. I'm proud to be in your company. Now, back to work. There's a lot more to change."
About Tania
Tania is a TEDx speaker, UK Parliament ADHD Champion, ADHD UK Ambassador and Purple Tuesday Global Ambassador. She holds the IAAP CPACC accessibility certification and co-hosts the ADHD Founders Unfiltered podcast. She also speaks on stages across the UK and US on accessibility, neuroinclusion and accessible marketing.
Work with us
Want your marketing to reach everyone, or your team to work at its best? Get in touch to talk about an accessibility audit, neuroinclusion training or booking Tania to speak.
Read the full list of winners on the East Midlands Chamber website.