Tackling Systemic Barriers to Scale Women’s Entrepreneurship in Scotland and Abroad
Published: 22 May 2024
Event recording
On 9th May 2024, the Adam Smith Business School hosted the Gaitherin, an engaging discussion on tackling systemic barriers to scale women’s entrepreneurship in Scotland and abroad.
Globally, GDP could rise by 3-6 percent if women and men were to participate equally as entrepreneurs. The gender gap in entrepreneurship continues to be a local and global issue, with only 13.6 percent of fast-growth companies in Scotland that are women-led. Male-led companies in the UK received 62.9 percent of funding, compared to 18.2 for female-led. Women entrepreneurs raise less resources from investors than men, even when their startups are similar or identical.
Researchers from University of Glasgow including Professor Eleanor Shaw OBE, Professor Sreevas Sahasranamam, and Dr. Saurabh Lall have produced actionable research to quantify these barriers in the Gender Index report, and Dr. Lall’s research with colleagues at New York University and the World Bank Gender Innovation Lab demonstrates how making small changes to investor processes can dramatically reduce the gender gap in financing.
The event featured a stellar panel chaired by Professor Eleanor Shaw, with Ana Stewart (Pathways Forward Committee), Caren Holzman (Chair of the Steering Committee, Women in Social Finance), John Anderson, (Strathclyde Business School), and Julia Brown (MINT Ventures).
Following the panel and Q&A, an interactive session led to many promising and actionable ideas on how to improve the opportunities for women entrepreneurs by creating new spaces and getting more diversity “in the room” where decisions are made.
If you would like to learn more about this research or outcomes from this recent event, please contact Dr Saurabh Lall.
About the Gaitherin
The Gaitherin is a series of events led by the College of Social Science that bring together academics, the business community, and policy makers for engaging discussions about important subjects impacting higher education, the private sector, and the wider national and international landscape.
The events, which are open to everyone, provide a space where you can hear from academic experts about their research, insights and experience. The Gatherin is an opportunity to network, learn, and find opportunities to collaborate.
If you would like to learn more about these events or the work the College of Social Sciences is doing to engage with the private sector, contact Paul McInally (Knowledge Exchange Lead).
First published: 22 May 2024