Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Karsten Wenzlaff is a Crowdfunding and Fintech Expert from Germany. He is Secretary-General of Digit[...]
JPM: Top 200 Women-Powered U.K. Businesses 2025
Report | Sep 25, 2025
Image: Top 200 Women Powered UK Businesses (report cover)
J.P. Morgan and Beauhurst Highlight Record Growth and Access to Capital
On September 16, 2025, J.P. Morgan and Beauhurst published the fifth annual Top 200 Women-Powered U.K. Businesses Report (Download 75 page PDF report), showcasing the scale and growth of female-founded and led enterprises in Britain. Since the inaugural edition, the number of women-powered businesses has more than doubled, rising from 6,085 in 2021 to 15,795 in 2025, representing 30.4% of all high-growth companies compared with just 18.3% four years ago.
Top 5 Statistics/Takeaways
- Women-powered businesses grew 160% in five years, from 6,085 in 2021 to 15,795 in 2025
- Equity investment in women-powered firms nearly doubled to £4.51 billion in 2025
- Women-led exits surged to £5.23 billion in 2024, nearly matching male-led exits at £6.74 billion
- Equity crowdfunding drove 802 women-powered fundraises since 2015, making it the top early-stage finance channel
- Fintech, SaaS, data, and AI are now the top investment sectors for women-powered firms
See: Trends in Reg CF for Minority and Women Founders
The data shows that women-powered companies are growing faster than the broader high-growth ecosystem, which expanded by 56.1% over the same period. Regional analysis highlights London and the South East as hubs, with 4,916 and 2,124 women-powered firms respectively. In Wales, women-powered businesses now account for 32.7% of the high-growth firms, the highest proportion of any U.K. region.
Funding Trends and Capital Access
Venture capital hit a record high, making up 21.9% of all deals, while women-powered businesses were slightly higher at 22.3%.
Equity crowdfunding has proven itself as transformational, driving the highest number of deals across the U.K.’s high-growth ecosystem. Since 2015, there have been 3,647 equity crowdfunding deals, of which 802 were women-powered fundraises, making it the leading investment route for female-founded and led businesses.
Entrepreneurs are increasingly attracted to equity crowdfunding because it provides access to early-stage capital often unavailable through traditional VC, combined with strong community backing and investor engagement. Two investment crowdfunding platforms stand out:
- Republic's (formerly Seedrs) women-powered deals grew more than fivefold from 7 in 2015 to 40 in 2024
- Crowdcube recorded an 18.9% year-on-year increase in women-led participation in 2024
See: State of UK Equity Crowdfunding Entering 2025
Over the last five years, equity investment in women-powered businesses grew nearly 97% from £2.29 billion in 2021 to £4.51 billion in 2025.
Exits also tell a updated story. After dipping in 2023, women-led companies generated £5.23 billion in disclosed exits in 2024, compared with £6.74 billion for male-led firms, creating one of the closest splits on record.
Charlotte Bobroff, Head of U.K. Women & Wealth:
"Women are surpassing milestones like never before, and their rapid rise is having a sizable impact on our overall economic output.”
Ecosystem Challenges
Melis Kahya Akar, Managing Director at General Atlantic, noted persistent capital gaps. She added that investors have a responsibility to foster networks and mentorship:
“According to the World Bank, [women-led businesses] receive just 3% of global VC funding. When women do attract capital, they tend to raise smaller amounts than their male-led equivalents. The result is that fewer women-led businesses reach the later growth stage, at which we usually look to invest.
See: How Fintech Firms Can Profit by Serving Women
Representation matters, but there is currently a lack of visible role models, peers and mentors for women entrepreneurs. Only 11% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women, and while this is an increase on previous years, the relative scarcity can act as a deterrent for other women.”
Fintech and Digital Innovation
The report highlights fintech and other digital sectors as among the most active areas for women-powered businesses.
In 2024, Software-as-a-Service, online retail, data provision, AI, and fintech were leading sectors for equity deal activity. Data-driven firms led by women have grown sharply, with deal activity in data provision rising from 233 in 2020 to 302 in 2024.
Why It Matters
The doubling of female-led high-growth firms, growing access to capital, record-setting exits, and strong representation in fintech and digital-first sectors point to structural change. Download the full report
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create aa vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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