The Rise Report, a new nationwide study – commissioned by one of the UK’s biggest communities of female founders, Female Founders Rise, in partnership with Barclays – has found that UK female entrepreneurs identify human connection as the cornerstone of resilience, growth and business success. The report goes beyond macroeconomic data to get to the real root causes behind the growth gaps and the multi-billion-pound opportunities within the UK’s female entrepreneurship space.
The detailed research, launched today at the Barclays Eagle Labs’ Innovation Hub in London, is one of largest grassroots studies of its kind. The findings captured the detailed views, stories and experiences of 2,225 UK-based female founders – who collectively generate £1 billion in annual turnover – and recorded 436,000 words of qualitative data. The findings underline that entrepreneurship, far from being a solo endeavour, thrives through community, peer support and shared experience.
The new insights come alongside recent reports that the UK could unlock up to £310 billion in economic growth if women started and scaled businesses at the same rate as men [1].
Connection at the core of the female founder journey
The report reveals that the need for human connection runs deep across the female entrepreneurial community, regardless of the size or stage of business:
- 78% of respondents cited human connection as central to their entrepreneurial journey
- Peer networks were identified as the most effective form of support, cited by 39% of respondents
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Mentorship and coaching were stated by 32% as vital forms of support
However, when connection breaks down, the consequences are significant. One in seven female founders (around 14%) identified loneliness and isolation as their biggest challenge, with over a quarter (27%) reporting mental health pressures, including burnout and self-doubt. Loneliness levels were notably similar among founders of both small and larger businesses, showing this is a systemic issue, not just for those in the early startup-phase.
Emmie Faust, who commissioned and co-authored the report, Founder at Female Founders Rise, a community of over 11,000 UK female entrepreneurs, is calling for all involved stakeholders – including policy makers, investors, the wider business community and allies – to listen and act: “Being an entrepreneur is a unique experience and without the right mentors or a peer network it can be deeply isolating. At Female Founders Rise, we witness the power of bringing women together at a similar stage of growth, facing similar challenges and the transformation that follows.”
She continued: “The support, the opening of doors and the willingness to share critical learnings have potential to make a difference to whether a business survives or not. As an exited founder myself, I could save someone £100,000 by sharing some of the mistakes I made along the way. Just think about the impact this could have at scale.”
Co-author Joanna Jensen, Entrepreneur and Chair of the EIS Association, added: “I often say I can share in six minutes what took me six years to learn and that kind of knowledge-sharing can change the trajectory of a business. Shared experience shortens learning curves and unlocks growth. If we want more successful founders, the entire start-up ecosystem has a responsibility to open more doors to expertise much faster.”
Funding systems seen as complex and discouraging
Financial insecurity and access to capital were also identified as significant structural barriers facing female entrepreneurs. Nearly half (45%) of respondents said funding challenges were their primary obstacle.
Negative experiences were widespread:
- Of those expressing sentiment, 78% reported strong frustrations towards public funding such as grants, describing processes as bureaucratic and time-consuming
- 73% expressed negative views of private finance including business loans, venture capital and angel investment
- Almost a third (30%) said public funding applications were overly complex, while one in 10 cited negative investor behaviour, including dismissive attitudes, ghosting and power imbalances.
Structural barriers persist despite economic case
The findings follow a 2025 report by the Women and Equalities Committee [2], which warned that female entrepreneurs remain significantly under-resourced. Less than 2% of venture capital currently goes to fully female-founded teams, despite research showing female-led businesses deliver stronger investment returns.
Sam White, Head of SME Business Banking at Barclays said: “More than 2,000 women have shared their honest experiences of starting and growing a business in the UK and we must listen to what they’ve told us. One message comes through loud and clear – when women are backed with the right networks, support and opportunities, their businesses don’t just survive – they thrive.”
“Confidence fuels action, and action builds firms that contribute to local communities and the wider UK economy. The potential is huge and we will get closer to realising it if we ensure women feel supported, connected and empowered to grow their businesses.”
Sources
[1] Boardwave: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/139188/pdf/
[2] UK Parliament: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cmselect/cmwomeq/711/report.html
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