Research reveals rise in female-led start-ups

A new study suggests that there has been a surge in female-led start-up businesses in recent years, contradicting the popular belief that the UK suffers from a gender ‘enterprise gap’.

According to research carried out by Birmingham-based Aston University, the number of women going into business in the UK has grown by 45 per cent over the last ten years.

During that same period, the number of men starting up their own businesses has risen by just 27 per cent in comparison.

However, the research also found that, in today’s business world, 10.4 per cent of UK men currently run their own business, in comparison with just five per cent of women.

This suggests that a gender imbalance does still exist – despite the fact that this is likely to be reduced in coming years if the last decade’s trend of rising female entrepreneurship continues.

The researchers behind the study analysed data from 60 separate countries all across the globe.

Regionally, Aston University’s report found that women in South East England and London are more likely than those elsewhere in the UK to start up their own business.

In fact, seven per cent of female respondents from Britain’s South East said that they would describe themselves as ‘early-stage’ entrepreneurs.