Last week marked another International Women’s Day. With its passing brings news of continued growth of start-ups and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) led by women. Overall, male business owners still outnumber that of women. However, after considering 1.4m small businesses in a study by insurer Simply Business, its COO Bea Montoya was happy to see a rise in the number of female business owners. SMEs owned by women rose 31% in 2019, compared with the 21% rise of their male counterparts. This continued growth follows a 58% increase in SMEs owned by women between 2016 and 2019.
Montoya said, “It’s fantastic to see more women than ever before taking the leap into small business – whether that’s turning a hobby into a livelihood, or using professional experience to go it alone.”
“Small business is crucial to the UK economy, and more and more, women are leading the way. We’re seeing that the number of female-owned small businesses are growing at a faster rate than those owned by men.”
Some of the hottest startups out there right now are female technology businesses, more commonly known as “femtech”. Femtech companies typically design, produce and/or sell products tailored to the needs of women. Historically, women’s health hasn’t been the most openly or accurately discussed topic but is now a topic that gains momentum year on year. This consumer interest has, in turn, sparked the interest of investors.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, EU Start-Ups have rounded up 10 emerging companies which are improving women’s health around Europe. In most cases, the companies they highlight have also been founded by female entrepreneurs, or have a female CEO. You can find that list here
Source: CITY AM | EUSTARTUPS