The 13 best cities for women launching successful startups revealed
San Francisco is one of the cities providing great access to funding for female entrepreneurs
London is amongst the top five cities in the world for female entrepreneurs starting out in business, according to a study by tech giant Dell.
Ranking third overall, the UK capital is seen to offer an excellent operating environment for women startup founders, providing strong access to relevant markets and capital.
New York was unveiled as the world’s top destination for female entrepreneurs in Dell’s 2016 Women Entrepreneurs study. The US city was considered to have the best enabling environment, providing the best access to markets whilst being able to attract top talent with its frequency and value of finance to firms run by women.
San Francisco, Stockholm and Singapore were the cities that also made the top five for female entrepreneurs with potential.
As the only gender-specific index that looks at the ability of cities to foster growth in women-led startups, Dell’s study identifies the impact of localised policies, in addition to the national laws and customs of the countries that a given city is located in.
Commenting on the study’s findings, Dell senior vice president Karen Quintos said that it could provide valuable insight to policy makers and city leaders to help empower more female entrepreneurs. Innovation and job creation by women entrepreneurs is critical for a thriving global economy, yet our research shows some cities and countries are doing far more than others to encourage and support this important subset of the startup community, she added
Here’s a list of some of the world’s other best cities for female entrepreneurs:
Beijing
Ranking sixth in the world for its access to top female talent, China’s capital is also excellent in the tech space.
Austin
The Texan city is considered the best in the world for technology business-friendly conditions both Uber and Lyft have, until recently, been headquartered there.
Munich
The size of its markets and limited access to capital holds the German city back, yet Munich’s policies focus on giving its high amount of strong female entrepreneurs a helping hand.
Seattle
Nowhere in the world is considered as good at mentoring and guiding women startup founders. A section of the city’s business funding is also saved for women-led projects.
Paris
France’s capital harbours some of the best female entrepreneurial talent, with a rich business culture and access to many markets. Yet it falls short in the tech sector.
Sydney
Fantastic connectivity levels and acclaimed mentoring programmes make Australia’s first city a top destination for female business owners.
Washington DC
The American capital is home to a wealth of talented women who can boast access to a wide variety of funding options.
Toronto
In terms of its entrepreneurial culture, Toronto tops the list. The Canadian city has mentors and networks for female entrepreneurs, and the policy framework to support them.
Fred Heritage was previously deputy editor at Business Advice. He has a BA in politics and international relations from the University of Kent and an MA in international conflict from Kings College London.
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