The EY SuperScalers report, produced in partnership with Julius Baer, The Data City, and Panintelligence, highlights a network of 45 female-led businesses generating revenues of over £50 million. Among the notable leaders are Trinny Woodall, CEO of Trinny London, Susie Ma of Tropic Skincare, Rosaleen Blair of AMS, and Sam Smith, former CEO of Cavendish Financial (previously finnCap Group).

In addition to their £7 billion contribution, these companies collectively employed over 55,000 people in 2022. The report identifies over 240 more female-founded firms in the UK, with revenues between £20 million and £50 million, poised to scale further with adequate backing. However, barriers such as limited access to funding and uneven regional and sector representation pose significant challenges to their growth.

Currently, UK female-founded companies receive just 2p for every £1 of investment, starkly contrasting with the 14p for mixed-gender teams and 84p for male-led businesses. Geographically, over half (58%) of the SuperScaler companies are concentrated in London and the South East, while 44% are in the consumer goods and services sector. This reveals a clear regional and industry imbalance, highlighting the need for more inclusive support across the UK business ecosystem.

Sam Smith, founder and former CEO, finnCap Group (now Cavendish Financial), said: “Starting a business is hard, scaling a business is hard, and SuperScaling is the next stage of the female founder’s growth journey. It requires having a growth mindset, vision and ambition, but also the necessary support to navigate a system that I have seen first-hand does not always work for them. My greatest passion has always been entrepreneurship and, most significantly, championing the underrepresented founder, and I’m excited to help the next generation of SuperScalers through each stage of the scaling journey by learning from those that have done it.”

Trinny Woodall, founder and CEO, Trinny London, added: “More than two decades of experience have shaped Trinny London into the global brand it is today, and we want to pass it on. We’re dedicated to helping female founders who are earlier in their journey, and to closing the gender gap in VC funding. We want to inspire women to feel fearless in trusting their gut and launching the endeavours they’ve always wanted to.”

EY is a passionate supporter of the next generation of business leaders, and champions female entrepreneurs through both its Entrepreneurial Winning Women and Entrepreneur of the Year programmes.

Lynn Rattigan, Senior Partner, EY Private, said: “The SuperScalers initiative celebrates extraordinary female founders and identifies the conditions required to produce the next generation of high-value women-led and founded UK businesses. Systemic barriers to growth are currently holding back too many potential SuperScalers. Addressing these obstacles would unlock a new wave of highly successful businesses and drive growth, employment opportunities and prosperity for the UK.”