Charles Stanley Female Founders 2024
In continued collaboration with Charles Stanley, our latest report, Female Founders 2024, explores the role of women-led businesses in driving innovation and economic growth.

The Charles Stanley Female Founders 2024 report provides an analysis of the landscape for women-led businesses in the UK. It examines the impact of female founders, their contributions to the economy, and the barriers they continue to face—particularly in securing equity investment.
The report explores key trends in female entrepreneurship, including founder demographics, key industries, and investment trends. It highlights the persistent funding gap, where male-led businesses secured over six times the equity investment raised by female-founded companies in 2024. It also examines the role of mentorship, investor diversity, and support networks in driving change.
Through case studies and survey insights, the report sheds light on female entrepreneurs’ experiences—from launching their first ventures to scaling and exiting businesses. It provides a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by women in securing funding, navigating industry biases, and accessing the networks necessary for growth. By uncovering these insights, the report highlights opportunities to create a more inclusive and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem in the UK.
Inside the report


About the authors
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Henry Whorwood Managing Director
Henry leads our Research & Consultancy team, and is an expert on equity finance and high-growth business. He's worked on briefs for the likes of Barclays, SyndicateRoom, Innovate UK, Smith & Williamson and British Business Bank. He regularly gives presentations on market trends at events around the UK.
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Callum Newton Senior Res&Con Associate
Callum is a Senior Research & Consultancy Associate, responsible for leading on the team's public sector work. Before joining Beauhurst, Callum was a Senior Researcher at Westminster-based think-tank Onward focusing on ‘Levelling Up’ policy. He was also a Consultant in Portland Communication’s specialist Litigation & Disputes practice.
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Hannah Nicholls Designer
Hannah produces graphic design and data visualisation for the Research & Consultancy team. Since receiving a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design Communications from Chelsea College of Arts (University of the Arts London), Hannah has accumulated over 10+ years of experience within the design industry and has specialised in data visualisation for the last 3+ years.
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Miraj Mistry Research Manager
Miraj handles project management and data analysis. Miraj recently joined Beauhurst, his previous role was with an economic consultancy who specialise in providing socio-economic research and analysis to support infrastructure and transport projects. He holds an MSc in economics from the University of Bristol and a BSc from the University of Leeds.
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