Tide Logo
Tide Logo
Tide Logo
Tide Logo

Female Business Owners Index 2025

Supporting women in business

Bringing together insights from over 859 Tide members and everywoman x Allbright members across the UK, the Female Business Owners Index 2025* offers an up-to-date look at women's experiences of running and growing businesses. 

The report explores:

  • Only 28% of female founders have been able to access the funding they need

  • 23% of female founders have taken on another job to support their business

  • 67% of female founders expect their revenues to increase in the next 12 months

It delves into who these women are, what drives them forward, and what can hold them back – like confidence and AI adoption, gender bias, and other important themes.

Read the report

*Survey of 859 Tide members and everywoman x Allbright members took place between 1st August and 5th September 2025*

Key takeaways from the Female Business Owners Index report

We surveyed women entrepreneurs across the UK to uncover the realities of growing a business. Despite facing challenges – including confidence, credibility, health, and caregiving – they remain determined to succeed. Here’s what we found:

The biggest barriers

Personal and gender-based challenges continue to shape women’s business journeys.

36% expect self-confidence to be a barrier in the year ahead, and 28% say not being taken seriously will hold them back.

For many in mid-life, health is also a factor: 55% of women in their 40s expect menopause to affect their business.

Caring responsibilities remain an issue, with 31% citing lack of support and 22% highlighting childcare costs.

The cost of confidence

When asked what helps them succeed, women point to their own experience and resilience.

42% cite prior knowledge of their industry as their strongest advantage, and 40% say confidence and experience are key.

16% highlight financial and operational know-how as essential to growth.

The rise of AI

Technology is becoming a game-changer.

28% of respondents say AI has helped their business most in the past year, 43% report it saves them time on admin, and 80% describe its impact as positive.

The diversity of women entrepreneurs

Women are starting and scaling businesses across all ages and sectors, often mid-career rather than straight from university.

42% launched their business after the age of 40. Top sectors include Health (14%), Retail (10%), and Marketing & Design (9%).

Despite ongoing challenges, women entrepreneurs remain optimistic.

67% expect revenue growth in the next 12 months, 44% plan to enter new markets, and 36% say more grants or tax relief would help them expand further.

Read the report

Respondent

"I get close to burnout regularly, suffer from symptoms of stress daily such as difficulty sleeping. It’s mainly a lack of investment and access to finance."

Tide’s Women In Business programme commitments

We’ve committed to helping create 200,000 female-led businesses by the end of 2027 – building upon our earlier achievement in 2023

Tracking, reporting on and promoting female entrepreneurs using Tide

Organising initiatives and events to support women in opening their own businesses – both led by Tide and through our collaboration with Mastercard’s Strive programme

Delivering our Women in Business content series to inspire, inform and champion our female members

*Survey of 859 Tide members and everywoman x Allbright members took place between 1st August and 5th September 2025

Respondent

“It’s more to do with my mindset and lack of confidence in myself and thinking no-one is taking me seriously. ”

As highlighted in the report, women founders continue to show extraordinary resilience and ambition. We’re proud to celebrate their stories and achievements at the Tide everywoman Entrepreneur Awards - bringing together the UK’s most inspiring entrepreneurs on 2 December at The Londoner.

Read stories from our female business founders

Read more
Read more

Tips for starting a business

Read more
Read more