Female Entrepreneurs Thrive in the South West (March 2008)

Female Entrepreneurs Thrive in the South West (March 2008)

The South West can boast the highest level of female entrepreneurial activity in the country according to the 2006 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) survey. It shows that the region’s women are 53% more likely to be entrepreneurs than in the rest of the U.K.

The GEM research was based on over 43,000 responses nationally and also shows that the South West has pushed London into second place as the U.K.’s most entrepreneurial region overall – 5.5% for females and 9.8% for males compared with national figures of 3.6% for females and 7.9% for males.

It is thought that the figures partly reflect the trend of people migrating to the region from large cities to combine quality of life with starting a business. Interestingly, the research found evidence that businesses founded by women are far more likely to make use of emerging technology and contribute more quickly to the local economy than male – led businesses. We remain neutral on this one!

The South West has always been a region of small businesses, despite the influx of some well known large companies in recent years. It looks like it’s going to stay that way, perhaps with more of a female twist.

Ivan Smith, Director, Beardsley Theobalds