Statistics about women’s business ownership writ large mask consistently large differences between women’s and men’s participation in various industries. Those big differences make for specialized strengths, as well as gaps where women founders who are missing or are stalling out as solos could make large advances, to the benefit of our economy and communities.

Child care disruptions cost U.S. businesses up to $70 billion every year in lost productivity, turnover, and absenteeism as found in analysis by McKinsey & Company. At a time when companies are navigating unprecedented disruption, from AI to labor shortages, child care is one of the most immediate and underutilized levers to stabilize the workforce. At the center of this opportunity are foundational workers: the nurses, teachers, retail associates, and manufacturing employees who keep businesses running.

This research examines differences in wealth, business experience, professional networks, and access to capital that affect the ability of different entrepreneur groups to start and expand their businesses. By analyzing race, ethnicity, business size, and geographic region among women-owned businesses in the post-pandemic periods of 2022–2025 and 2024–2025, the study offers insights to inform practical policies, programs, and funding decisions.

The GEM Women's Entrepreneurship Report highlights the evolving landscape of women’s entrepreneurship worldwide, emphasizing both persistent challenges and emerging opportunities. The findings underscore critical themes including differences in startup activity and demographics, the goals and motivations driving women founders, patterns of digitalization and sectoral participation, the dynamics of business continuity across the entrepreneurial life cycle, and the enabling (or constraining) role of culture and investment networks.

Today, women’s businesses contribute $3.3 trillion in annual revenues to our economy.

The gender pay gap is well documented: women make about 80 cents for every dollar that a man earns. Less well known: the gender investment gap.

This fact sheet profiles typical traits, challenges, and sector distributions of women-owned businesses as of 2025.

The goal of this research is to inform and establish a baseline understanding of the dynamics of rural women entrepreneurs, comparing them to rural men entrepreneurs and non-rural women entrepreneurs.

The 2025 Impact of Women-Owned Businesses (Wells Fargo / Ventureneer)

This report examines the effectiveness of the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract Program, reviewing existing literature, federal contracting data, and program outcomes.