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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 decrease in female-led companies in England by 0.26%, Northern Ireland by 0.52%, and Scotland by 0.15%. Wales experienced a slight increase of 0.15%. Trends indicate a fluctuation in female-led companies across the regions.
Nation
% female-led*
% change**
England
18.21%
-0.26%
Northern Ireland
16.07%
-0.52%
Scotland
17.22%
-0.15%
Wales
17.20%
0.15%
*Active UK companies
**previous 12 months
Female incorporations vs closures over the last 12 months
AI Summary: Female company incorporations saw a steady increase from 13,011 in Apr 2025 to 14,402 in Sep 2025, then decreased to 7,060 in Mar 2026. Closures fluctuated, peaking at 18,636 in Jul 2025. Overall, incorporations showed a positive trend, while closures had more variability.
Generational shift through gender
AI Summary: Generational shift is evident in company leadership, with a rise in female-led companies among Millennials and Generation Z, while male-led companies are declining. The percentage of other gender-led companies is also fluctuating across generations.
Active UK company generation analysis
Investment into active female-led companies
AI Summary: Over the last 12 months, investment in active female-led companies saw a 5.79% growth in venture capital, a 3.47% decline in private equity, a 5.53% increase in angel investments, and an 8.04% rise in other types of investments. Changing trends indicate a shift towards angel and other types of investments.
Investment type
No. of investments*
Percentage**
Venture capital
78
5.79%
Private Equity
14
3.47%
Angel
2.6K
5.53%
Other
1.2K
8.04%
*Last 12 months**of all investments
-1.8%
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 has been a 1.77% decline in the number of ethnic minority female-led companies in the last 12 months. This indicates a slight downward trend in the growth of such businesses.
Female-led sector analysis
AI Summary: Analysis of female-led sectors shows a wide range of performance. Health, wellbeing, and social care top the list with 36.3% female-led companies, while arts, entertainment, and recreation lag behind at 24%. Construction and energy suppliers have the lowest female representation at 7.4% and 5.6% respectively.
Top 5 female-led sectors
%*
Health, wellbeing and social care
36.30%
Education
35.30%
Public health and safety services
32.38%
Service sector
31.39%
Arts, entertainment and recreation
24.03%
Bottom 5 female-led sectors
%*
Energy suppliers
5.64%
Construction
7.43%
Mining and Quarrying
8.19%
Logistics and storage services
8.94%
Water and waste services
10.02%
*Percentage of Female-led companies
International trade
AI Summary: Gender plays a significant role in international trade, with 14.31% of active importers and 13.33% of active exporters in the UK being female-led companies. There is a trend of increasing participation of women-led companies in international trade, although they still represent a minority compared to non-female-led companies.
Secured debt gender analysis
AI Summary: Analysis of secured debt by gender shows a 13.53% share for female-led companies, a 61.48% share for male-led companies, and a 24.99% share for other companies. There is a noticeable disparity in the distribution of secured debt among genders, with male-led companies dominating the market.
Percentage of active companies with secured debt
13.5%
Female-led
61.5%
Male-led
25.0%
Other
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