Oxford Innovation Advice latest insight report: “Investing in Women”
Oxford Innovation Advice has released its latest insight report, Investing in Women, a comprehensive exploration of the challenges women-led businesses face in securing external finance and actionable strategies to bridge this persistent gap.
Authored by Managing Director Jane Galsworthy, the report sheds light on the stark realities of gender disparities in business financing. Despite women leading 20% of UK businesses, they receive only 34% of the loan finance accessed by their male counterparts, with equity investment even more elusive—only 2% of total equity funding goes to all-women teams.
Key findings include:
- Women-led businesses secure significantly less funding than male-led businesses, averaging £87,500 per raise compared to £214,500.
- Women are more likely to rely on grants and less likely to seek debt financing.
- Women-led businesses excel when supported with expert advice, with 37.1% of participants in Oxford Innovation’s Access to Finance programmes being women-led, far exceeding the national average.
Since 2012, Oxford Innovation Advice has supported nearly 3,000 companies in raising over £150 million in external finance. Their tailored Access to Finance programmes equip women-led businesses with the skills and resources necessary to identify funding sources, craft compelling applications, and ultimately secure the finance they need.
The report underscores that impartial guidance and targeted interventions can enable women entrepreneurs to overcome systemic barriers. However, it also calls for broader changes to ensure that women-led businesses secure the finance they need to thrive and grow competitively.
Jane comments within: “Our data proves that, with the right support, women-led businesses can secure the finance needed to achieve their ambitions. It’s time to address the systemic challenges and empower women to fulfill their potential without barriers.”
Download the Report
The full Investing in Women report is available here: Investing in Women: Insight report.
