WiRE News

Growth in number of female entrepreneurs at a standstill - 07/06/11

Only 14pc of small and medium-sized firms are women-led, the same as in 2007, the authoritative government survey of 4,500 businesses found.

While 21pc of start-ups last year involved female founders, the proportion fell to 13pc for small firms employing more than 10 people and only 8pc of all medium-sized companies.

The findings come as the Business Department considers the future funding of many of its female business support initiatives, including the £12.5m Aspire Fund, a venture fund for women-led businesses.

The fund was set up in 2008 to invest between £100,000 and £1m in businesses with women in senior management roles and has so far backed six companies.

Read the rest of the article by Richard Tyler in The Telegraph HERE