New study reveals number of female CEOs and women on boards has increased by 83%

A new study by UK virtual business assistant firm, SpareMyTime, has revealed the number of female CEOs and women on boards has increased by 83% since 2018.

SpareMyTime has analysed the number of female CEOs at UK-based FTSE companies, alongside five years’ worth of government data to reveal an increase in female CEOs and women on boards since 2018, with the sharpest increases in 2021 and 2022. 

The report comes as SpareMyTimes sees searches for ‘female founders’ soar 1,850% in the last 12 months alone, 320% in ‘female founders initiative’ and 300% in people searching for ‘female founders program’.

Examining female-founded industries that have seen the biggest growth, there’s been a 1300% increase in FemTech companies over the past decade. According to Beauhurst, there was only one active company in 2014, growing to 14 in 2023.

SpareMyTime has ranked the top five fastest-growing female-founded companies in the UK based on their total funding amount, revealing that four out of the five top spots on the list are taken by FemTech and sustainability startups.

“The success of these female-founded companies is a testament to the growing strength of the UK tech scene and the increasing importance of diversity and inclusion in the industry,” said Melissa Gauge, Founder of SpareMyTime. “We are particularly excited to see so many companies on the list that are focused on solving real-world problems, which shows that UK female founders are committed to making a positive impact in the world.”