We use cookies to effortlessly improve your experience on our site. Cookies also help us understand how our site is being used, so that we can keep making it better. You can read more about it in our cookie policy and change your settings here at any time.
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 a mixed trend in female-led companies over the past 12 months. Northern Ireland experienced the highest growth with a 1.12% increase, while Wales had a 0.32% growth. England and Scotland also saw slight growth of 0.04% and 0.08% respectively.
Nation
% female-led*
% change**
England
20.58%
0.04%
Northern Ireland
18.45%
1.12%
Scotland
18.73%
0.08%
Wales
20.03%
0.32%
*Active UK companies
**previous 12 months
Female incorporations vs closures over the last 12 months
AI Summary: Female company incorporations showed a steady growth trend over the last 12 months, reaching a peak in April 2024 with 22,478 incorporations. In contrast, company closures fluctuated. Overall, there was a noticeable increase in incorporations compared to closures during this period.
Generational shift through gender
AI Summary: Generational shift is evident in companies, with a change in male-led companies from 55.94% to 71.33% and a change in female-led companies from 21.57% to 22.56%. The percentage of other-led companies fluctuated between 23.22% and 6.11% across different generations.
Active UK company generation analysis
Investment into active female-led companies
AI Summary: Investment in active female-led companies over the last 12 months accounted for 6.42% of venture capital funding, 4.36% of private equity, 6.77% of angel investments, and 8.09% of other types of investments.
Investment type
No. of investments*
Percentage**
Venture capital
66
6.42%
Private Equity
17
4.36%
Angel
4.7K
6.77%
Other
1.4K
8.09%
*Last 12 months**of all investments
8.52%
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: In the past year, ethnic minority female-led companies have experienced a 8.52% growth in numbers. This shows a positive trend in the rise of diversity and inclusion within businesses.
Female-led sector analysis
AI Summary: Female-led companies in the top sectors like Health, wellbeing, and social care saw a growth of 41.48%, while Arts, entertainment, and recreation witnessed a decline of 24.93%. Education, Public health, and safety services, and Service sector also showed varying trends. In contrast, Energy suppliers, Construction, Mining and quarrying, Financial services, and Water and waste services had lower percentages of female-led companies.
Top 5 female-led sectors
%*
Health, wellbeing and social care
41.40%
Education
36.80%
Public health and safety services
36.10%
Service sector
32.70%
Arts, entertainment and recreation
24.90%
Bottom 5 female-led sectors
%*
Energy suppliers
6.20%
Construction
9.20%
Mining and quarrying
10.70%
Financial services
11.30%
Water and waste services
11.60%
*Percentage of Female-led companies
International trade
AI Summary: In international trade, 13.38% of active importers in the UK are female-led companies, while 12.78% of active exporters are female-led. There is a slight increase in female-led importers compared to exporters. The trend shows a gradual rise in female-led companies engaged in international trade.
Secured debt gender analysis
AI Summary: Female-led companies account for 15.08% of secured debt, while male-led companies hold 61.91%. Other categories make up 23.01%. There is potential for growth in female-led companies' secured debt, with a noticeable decline in male-led companies' percentage.
Percentage of active companies with secured debt
15.1%
Female-led
61.9%
Male-led
23.0%
Other
Made possible by