Research signals fresh wave of female entrepreneurs post-Covid

by Startacus Admin
Small Business Britain calls for more support and encouragement for female-led businesses as research reveals that many women are considering the entrepreneurship route
Research commissioned by Small Business Britain’s f:Entrepreneur campaign to mark International Women’s Day reveals that almost one fifth of women are considering starting their own business, in a sign of a potential fresh wave of female-led startups that could help power the UK’s economic recovery.
Small Business Britain has now called for more support to unlock the opportunity of female-led businesses and greater recognition of this group’s powerful contribution to society, the economy and communities.
The research found that 42% of women were motivated to think about starting a business out of a passion - by far the biggest reason cited.
But the trend is also being driven by the impact of Covid-19 on the economy and jobs, with 34% of women are considering supplementing their income through a ‘side hustle’, whilst 10% were prompted by a job loss.
“This research underlines that female entrepreneurship continues to grow and flourish in the UK,” said Michelle Ovens CBE, founder of Small Business Britain and f:Entrepreneur.
“While 2021 will of course continue to be tough for small businesses, there are huge opportunities out there for women to grow and start their businesses. We saw a wave of start-up activity after the last recession, and with other figures sadly showing that women have been particularly affected by recent redundancies, I believe female-led businesses will be at the very heart of the UK’s recovery. We need to continue, and increase, our support for these incredible women and celebrate their amazing strength and success in the face of huge challenges.”
The f:Entrepreneur campaign was launched in 2017 to highlight inspiring female entrepreneurs that lead small businesses alongside a roster of other roles, such as volunteering, mentoring and community support.
This year it received a record number of applications from women to be part of its annual #ialso100 campaign, which showcases amazing female entrepreneurs from all over the UK.
To see the full list of the 100 amazing women featured in this year’s f:Entrepreneur #ialso100 campaign visit f-entrepreneur.com/fentrepreneur-100/ .
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Published on: 8th March 2021
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