Mental Health
Research reveals hidden health implications of self-employment New survey from FreeAgent shows that the majority…
● A fifth of women have been encouraged to commence their career in a role that did not reflect their professional aspirations or academic credentials at that time
● Men are 52% more likely to have more capital than their parents to start a business than women
● Men are three times more likely than women to have over £250,000 of investible assets available
● 54% of women investors back female-founded businesses
Key Statistics
The Gap Remains
Sentiments towards entrepreneurship still reflect a perceived advantage for men in the UK to start their own business over women
The Generational Gap
It also seems that women in the UK are feeling disillusioned with the amount of support they can get from the government when looking to set up a business. This is especially true when compared to the opportunities their parents may have had.
Meanwhile, a fifth of women feel like they were encouraged to commence their career in a role that did not reflect their professional aspirations or academic credentials at that time, including starting a business.
Today’s index reiterates a study conducted by the UK Business Angels Association (UKBAA) which showed the disparity between the potential investment available for men and women. It found that over half (54%) of female Angel investors had backed at least one female-founded business whilst only a small minority of male investors had done the same. This is worsened by the finding from the Women’s Entrepreneurship Index that men are three times more likely to have greater than £250,000 of investible assets available than women (9% of men vs 3% of women).
Luke Davis, CEO and Founder of the company that commissioned this research – IW Capital – commented on the findings;
“After this week’s Treasury announcement regarding venture capital funding, this subject has scarcely been more important. Optimum productivity across our private sector can only be secured by utilising the full capacity of this nation’s diverse talent pool. Failing to do so will of course impede the growth and success of our economy, with up to 50% of the potential and subsequent productivity being restricted.
The SME arena contributed £1.9 trillion to the UK’s economy in 2017 and so making sure that it has the widest possible pool of talent to draw from is vital. As the backbone of the private sector, they will be a huge factor in determining the success of Brexit in March and onwards. Encouraging investment into female-founded businesses is clearly something that must be improved upon through legislation as well as fostering an environment in which women feel that they have the support and resources available to start businesses.”
We use cookies to give you the best online experience. By agreeing you accept the use of cookies in accordance with our cookie policy.