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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 5.2+ 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: Across the UK, companies in Northern Ireland saw a 0.5% increase in female-led businesses, while Wales experienced a 0.2% growth. England and Scotland saw a slight decline of 0.05% and 0.05% respectively. The national picture shows varying trends in female-led companies.
Nation
% female-led*
% change**
England
19.31%
-0.05%
Northern Ireland
17.66%
0.50%
Scotland
18.01%
0.05%
Wales
18.70%
0.20%
*Active UK companies
**previous 12 months
Female incorporations vs closures over the last 12 months
AI Summary: Female company incorporations saw a fluctuating trend over the last 12 months, with a peak in Mar 2024 at 20,599 but a decline in Dec 2024 to 12,176. However, company closures remained relatively stable, with a slight increase in Nov 2024. Overall, there was a growth in incorporations but a decline in closures during this period.
Generational shift through gender
AI Summary: Generational shift in companies shows a decline in male-led companies from 69.92% to 56.10%, and an increase in female-led companies from 21.16% to 21.47%. The percentage of other gender-led companies fluctuated between 8.92% and 24.17%. Millennials and Generation Z are leading the trend towards more diverse leadership.
Active UK company generation analysis
Investment into active female-led companies
AI Summary: Over the past 12 months, investment in active female-led companies has shown significant growth in Angel investments, with a 5.44% increase, while there has been a slight decline in Private Equity investments by 3.62%. Venture capital investments have seen a 4.65% increase, and Other investments have shown the highest growth at 7.68%.
Investment type
No. of investments*
Percentage**
Venture capital
75
4.66%
Private Equity
17
3.62%
Angel
2.9K
5.44%
Other
1.2K
7.68%
*Last 12 months**of all investments
4.9%
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: Over the past year, the number of ethnic minority female-led companies has increased by 4.93%, reaching 444,224 compared to 423,358 in the previous year. This growth indicates a positive trend in the rise of ethnic minority female-led businesses.
Female-led sector analysis
AI Summary: Female-led companies in the Health, wellbeing and social care sector saw the highest growth at almost 40%. Education sector followed with 36% female-led companies. On the other hand, Arts, entertainment, and recreation had the lowest percentage of female-led companies at 24%, with Energy suppliers having the lowest growth at 5.65%.
Top 5 female-led sectors
%*
Health, wellbeing and social care
39.98%
Education
36.22%
Public health and safety services
33.91%
Service sector
31.80%
Arts, entertainment and recreation
24.33%
Bottom 5 female-led sectors
%*
Energy suppliers
5.65%
Construction
7.93%
Mining and Quarrying
9.78%
Financial services
10.48%
Water and waste services
10.69%
*Percentage of Female-led companies
International trade
AI Summary: In international trade within the UK, female-led companies account for around 12.78% of active importers and 12.31% of active exporters. This showcases a growing trend of gender diversity in trade, with a slight increase in female-led companies participating in both importing and exporting activities.
Secured debt gender analysis
AI Summary: Analysis of secured debt by gender reveals a majority of companies are male-led at 61.41%, with 24.42% classified as 'Other' and 14.17% led by females. The data suggests a need for increased support and opportunities for female-led companies to address gender disparities in secured debt.
Percentage of active companies with secured debt
14.2%
Female-led
61.4%
Male-led
24.4%
Other
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