Starling has teamed up with Small Business Britain for a campaign to empower women across the UK to start and grow their businesses.

Female-founded businesses are a vital and dynamic force within the UK’s entrepreneurial landscape. As of October 2024, there are 7,696 high-growth companies in the UK with at least one female founder, representing 13.7% of the country’s high-growth ecosystem.

Female business owners across the UK are working longer hours and taking on second jobs, with 39% saying 2025 has been tougher than last year, a groundbreaking report from Tide, the business management platform, and everywoman, the global organisation dedicated to advancing women’s careers, has revealed.

Digital Catapult, in partnership with Sony Music UK and Sony Music Publishing UK, and in collaboration with Channel 4, has announced the 12 Black-founded startups joining the 2025 cohort of its Black Founders Programme. Designed to accelerate the growth of high-potential creative-technology companies and enable them to scale, it connects entrepreneurs with mentorship, technical support, and targeted funding to prepare them for investment and successful commercialisation.   

A new study conducted by researchers at Warwick Business School has revealed significant insights into the gender finance gap in startup funding, shedding light on how biases influence investment decisions.