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What is The Gender Index?
Mapping the impact of female-led companies on the UK economy is crucial for a stronger, more inclusive economy. Yet, a freely available tool to measure their number, potential, and support their growth has been lacking.
Enter our groundbreaking data source, which benchmarks female entrepreneur activity and spotlights the gender gap in entrepreneurship. Join us in using this free data to empower women and bridge the divide.
How does it work?
Our AI-powered tool is one-of-a-kind, mapping all 4.5+ million active UK companies in real-time. With customizable search options, explore insights by gender, sector, investment type, ethnic minority leadership, and more.
Track progress, growth, and trends by various criteria instantly. All the data you need is right at your fingertips.
Who is it for?
Whether you're a female founder seeking growth, a policymaker, journalist, educator, corporate entity, or investor, we've got you covered.
The Gender Index is freely accessible and open for use. Download our annual reports or craft and distribute your customized reports to spark dialogue, ideas, and policy actions. Together, let's propel towards a more equitable future.
The national picture
AI Summary: The national picture shows fluctuating trends in companies led by females. England and Scotland experienced a slight decline, while Northern Ireland and Wales saw growth. The percentage change ranged from -0.13% to 0.63% over the last 12 months.
Nation
% female-led*
% change**
England
19.25%
-0.13%
Northern Ireland
17.71%
0.63%
Scotland
17.95%
-0.02%
Wales
18.65%
0.22%
*Active UK companies
**previous 12 months
Female incorporations vs closures over the last 12 months
AI Summary: Female company incorporations saw a significant increase from Dec 2023 to Apr 2024, with a peak in Apr 2024 at 20608. However, closures also rose steadily during the same period, reaching a peak in Oct 2024 at 13813. Despite fluctuations, overall, incorporations outpaced closures over the last 12 months.
Generational shift through gender
AI Summary: Companies led by females saw a slight decline from Generation Z to Boomers, while males experienced a steady decline. The percentage of other gender-led companies increased from Generation Z to Boomers. A generational shift is evident in company leadership trends.
Active UK company generation analysis
Investment into active female-led companies
AI Summary: Over the last 12 months, investment into active female-led companies has seen a 4.93% growth in venture capital, a 3.22% decline in private equity, a 5.45% increase in angel investments, and a 7.71% rise in other forms of investment.
Investment type
No. of investments*
Percentage**
Venture capital
66
4.93%
Private Equity
14
3.22%
Angel
2.7K
5.45%
Other
1.05K
7.71%
*Last 12 months**of all investments
4.37%
Increase in the number of active ethnic minority female-led companies across the UK over the last 12 months
Ethnicity across the UK
AI Summary: There was a 4.37% increase in the number of ethnic minority female-led companies in the last 12 months, showing a positive trend in the growth of diversity and inclusion in business leadership.
Female-led sector analysis
AI Summary: Female-led companies in Health, wellbeing and social care sector show the highest growth at 39.89%, while Arts, entertainment and recreation sector experienced the lowest at 24.21%. Education, Public health and safety services, Service sector also demonstrated strong female leadership trends. In contrast, Energy suppliers, Construction, Mining and quarrying, Financial services, Water and waste services sectors had the lowest female-led representation.
Top 5 female-led sectors
%*
Health, wellbeing and social care
39.89%
Education
36.09%
Public health and safety services
34.07%
Service sector
31.66%
Arts, entertainment and recreation
24.21%
Bottom 5 female-led sectors
%*
Energy suppliers
5.60%
Construction
7.91%
Mining and quarrying
9.74%
Financial services
10.44%
Water and waste services
10.70%
*Percentage of Female-led companies
International trade
AI Summary: Gender plays a significant role in international trade, with 12.78% of importers and 12.30% of exporters in the UK being female-led companies. Trends show a slight increase in female-led importers compared to exporters, highlighting a potential shift in the gender composition within international trade.
Secured debt gender analysis
AI Summary: In secured debt gender analysis, female-led companies account for 14.17%, male-led companies for 61.46%, and other for 24.37%. The percentage of female-led companies has seen a steady increase, while male-led companies have experienced a slight decline in secured debt.
Percentage of active companies with secured debt
14.2%
Female-led
61.5%
Male-led
24.4%
Other
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