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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 slight decline in female-led companies in England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, while Wales experienced a small increase. Overall, there is a trend of fluctuation in female-led companies across the regions.
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 steady increase over the last 12 months, with a peak in July 2025. However, closures fluctuated throughout the period, peaking in July 2025 as well. Overall, there was a positive trend in incorporations and closures, reflecting a dynamic landscape for female-led companies.
Generational shift through gender
AI Summary: Generational shift is evident in companies, with a rise in female-led companies among Millennials and Gen Z, alongside a decline in male-led companies. The trend towards diversity is highlighted by the increasing percentage of 'Other' gender-led companies across generations.
Active UK company generation analysis
Investment into active female-led companies
AI Summary: Investment into active female-led companies over the last 12 months saw 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 types of investments. Changing trends indicate a shift towards Angel and Other investments.
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
Female-led sector analysis
AI Summary: Female-led companies in Health, wellbeing and social care sector showed the highest growth with 36.35% representation, while Arts, entertainment, and recreation sector had the lowest at 24.03%. Education and Public health sectors also had strong female leadership. In contrast, Energy suppliers and Construction sectors had the lowest female representation at 5.66% and 7.41% respectively.
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 international trade, female-led companies account for 14.30% of active importers and 13.33% of active exporters in the UK. Non-female-led companies make up 85.70% of importers and 86.67% of exporters. There is a trend of growth in female-led companies participating in international trade, although they still represent a minority.
Secured debt gender analysis
AI Summary: Analysis of secured debt among companies shows 61.48% are male-led, 24.96% are other, and 13.56% are female-led. While male-led companies dominate, there is a noticeable presence of female-led companies. The trend indicates a growing diversity in securing debt among companies.
Percentage of active companies with secured debt
13.6%
Female-led
61.5%
Male-led
25.0%
Other
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