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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: The national picture shows a decline in female-led companies in England by 0.25%, Northern Ireland by 0.51%, and Scotland by 0.16%, while Wales saw a 0.15% increase. Changing trends indicate a mixed scenario of growth and decline in female-led companies across the countries.
Nation
% female-led*
% change**
England
18.22%
-0.25%
Northern Ireland
16.08%
-0.51%
Scotland
17.21%
-0.16%
Wales
17.19%
0.15%
*Active UK companies
**previous 12 months
Female incorporations vs closures over the last 12 months
AI Summary: Female company incorporations saw a consistent increase over the last 12 months, reaching a peak in Sep 2025. However, closures fluctuated throughout the period, with a significant spike in Jul 2025. Overall, incorporations showed a positive growth trend, while closures displayed more variability.
Generational shift through gender
AI Summary: Generational shift in companies show a growth in female-led companies from 18.9% to 19.4% and a decline in male-led companies from 71.8% to 57.2%. The trend indicates a shift towards more diversity and gender equality in company leadership across different generations.
Active UK company generation analysis
Investment into active female-led companies
AI Summary: Investment into active female-led companies has shown a 6.23% growth in Venture capital, 3.74% decline in Private Equity, 5.52% growth in Angel investments, and 8.12% growth in Other investments over the last 12 months.
Investment type
No. of investments*
Percentage**
Venture capital
89
6.23%
Private Equity
16
3.74%
Angel
2.8k
5.52%
Other
1.3k
8.12%
*Last 12 months**of all investments
-1.5%
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 12 months, there has been a 1.46% decline in the number of ethnic minority female-led companies. This indicates a slight decrease in the overall representation of ethnic minority female leaders in businesses.
Female-led sector analysis
AI Summary: Female-led companies in Health, wellbeing and social care sector showed the highest growth at 36.35%, while Arts, entertainment and recreation sector experienced the lowest at 24.03%. Education sector also saw a significant percentage of female-led companies at 35.38%. On the other hand, Energy suppliers had the lowest percentage at 5.66% among female-led companies.
Top 5 female-led sectors
%*
Health, wellbeing and social care
36.35%
Education
35.38%
Public health and safety services
32.52%
Service sector
31.42%
Arts, entertainment and recreation
24.03%
Bottom 5 female-led sectors
%*
Energy suppliers
5.66%
Construction
7.41%
Mining and Quarrying
8.21%
Logistics and storage services
8.93%
Water and waste services
9.98%
*Percentage of Female-led companies
International trade
AI Summary: In the UK, female-led companies account for 14.30% of active importers and 13.33% of active exporters, showing a growing trend in gender diversification within international trade. Non-female-led companies make up the majority with 85.70% of importers and 86.67% of exporters.
Secured debt gender analysis
AI Summary: In a secured debt gender analysis, male-led companies constitute 61.48% of secured debt, showing a significant dominance. Female-led companies account for 13.56%, while other categories make up 24.96%. The trend indicates a gender disparity in secured debt distribution.
Percentage of active companies with secured debt
13.6%
Female-led
61.5%
Male-led
25.0%
Other
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