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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: In England, companies led by females decreased by 0.05% in the last 12 months. In Northern Ireland, there was a 0.5% increase, while Scotland saw a 0.05% increase. Wales experienced a 0.2% growth in female-led companies. Changing trends show mixed results across the countries.
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 steady increase over the last 12 months, reaching a peak of 20,599 in Apr 2024. In contrast, closures fluctuated but remained relatively stable. Overall, there was a positive trend in incorporations, indicating growth in female-led companies.
Generational shift through gender
AI Summary: Generational shift is evident in companies with a decline in male-led companies from 69.92% (Gen Z) to 56.10% (Silent), while female-led companies increased from 21.16% to 21.47%. Other categories also saw changes, indicating evolving trends among different generations.
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 4.66% growth in venture capital, a 3.62% decline in private equity, a 5.44% increase in angel investments, and a 7.68% rise in other types of investments.
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: In the past 12 months, the number of ethnic minority female-led companies has increased by 4.93%, with a total of 444,224 companies compared to 423,358 in the previous year. This indicates a growing trend in female-led ethnic minority businesses.
Female-led sector analysis
AI Summary: Female-led companies in the top performing sectors like Health, Education, and Social Care have shown significant growth, with percentages ranging from 24% to nearly 40%. In contrast, sectors like Energy Suppliers and Construction have seen declines with percentages as low as 6% and 8% respectively.
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, the percentage of companies led by females as active importers in the UK is 12.78% and as active exporters is 12.31%. Trends show a slight increase in female-led companies involved in trade, indicating a shift towards gender diversity within the industry.
Secured debt gender analysis
AI Summary: Analysis of secured debt by gender shows a 14.17% share for female-led companies, 61.41% for male-led companies, and 24.42% for other companies. Trends suggest a growing percentage for female-led companies and declining percentage for other companies.
Percentage of active companies with secured debt
14.2%
Female-led
61.4%
Male-led
24.4%
Other
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