Female start-up founders are missing out on billions of pounds of investment, new research has found.  The UK VC & Female Founders report found that for every £1 of venture capital investment in the UK, all-female founder teams get less than 1p. By comparison, all-male founder teams get 89p and mixed-gender teams get the remaining 10p.

The research, commissioned by Chancellor Philip Hammond at Budget 2017 and undertaken by the British Business Bank, together with Diversity VC and BVCA, identifies specific barriers faced by female-led firms in accessing venture capital. It will help inform ongoing government work to tackle these barriers and boost the untapped economic potential of businesses. The report will be launched during a reception for leading businesswomen and the venture capital community at No11 Downing Street and hosted by Treasury ministers.