It is estimated that women participate in entrepreneurship at 80% the rate of men, with women entrepreneurs accounting for 37% of global GDP (MasterCard Index of Women Entrepreneurs, 2022; Women Entrepreneurs, 2022). This is a significant shift from the start of the century, where participation rates for women were half those of men. While this improvement is noteworthy, women still face ongoing challenges and barriers in their entrepreneurial journey; these include access to finance, ecosystem structures, and the lack of entrepreneurship education focused on young girls and women (The Alison Rose Review, 2019; Women Entrepreneurs, 2022).

In Aotearoa New Zealand, women comprise 31.9% of total business ownership and as a nation we are ranked as one of the top three economies for women entrepreneurs in three areas: entrepreneurial supporting conditions, women’s advancement outcomes and knowledge assets such as education (MasterCard Index, 2022). The University of Auckland has led Aotearoa New Zealand into the top-ranked position for female founder graduates. An international study found Aotearoa New Zealand has the world’s highest percentage of women graduates who found start- ups, at 13.4 percent (Pioneering Women, 2019). Of these, almost half are from the University of Auckland.

While comparative rankings speak positively about the existing economic and social structures supporting women’s entrepreneurship, barriers still exist and need to be addressed. We know little about the specific challenges faced by women as they endeavour to grow their business. It is difficult to get accurate and up to date data on the gender composition of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Aotearoa New Zealand. What we do know points to ongoing constraints for women: for example, access to capital at stages of venture start up (Swail, 2021). We aim to bridge the practice of entrepreneurship with a body of research informed knowledge to inform evidence-based policy, curriculum and pedagogy and support the evolvement and maturity of the Aotearoa New Zealand entrepreneurial eco-system.

Women Entrepreneurs. (2022)
MasterCard Index of Women Entrepreneurs 2021. (2022)
Raising Capital in Aotearoa New Zealand: Insights from Women Entrepreneurs. (2021).
The Alison Rose Review. (2019)