Encouraging women to start up new businesses and boost European economies is on the agenda at an event launching Global Entrepreneurship week.
Women’s Employment Minister Annabelle Ewing will host an event along with Elzbieta Bienkowska, the European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, looking at how more women can be encouraged to consider leading their own businesses.
Research has shown that the Scottish economy would be boosted by £7.6billion if the number of women-led businesses increase to the level of those run by men.
Ms Ewing will describe the Scottish approach to encouraging women’s entrepreneurship and hear from representatives from European governments, business and industry support groups on how they are addressing the issue.
The Minister will be joined by Margaret Gibson, Chief Executive of Women’s Enterprise Scotland, to outline how Scotland has pioneered a framework developed by representatives from the public, private and third sector to support women trying to establish their own businesses.
Ms Ewing said: “One area where the gender gap is still most clearly defined is in business ownership. We have a really good record in women’s employment and we are making strides in seeing gender balance in our boardrooms, but only around 20%of SMEs in Scotland are female-led.
“Part of the issue is getting information about the financial support and advice available out to women looking to start or build their companies, so we are tackling that and developing networks to share that expertise more widely.”
Monday marks the start of Global Entrepreneurship Week which will promote the benefits of encouraging people to consider starting their own business.
Commissioner Bienkowska said: “Supporting more women to become entrepreneurs is very high on my political agenda. Nearly sixteen years into the twenty-first century, women represent fewer than 30% of entrepreneurs in Europe. This is not acceptable and we have to change it.”
Ms Gibson added: “Women’s Enterprise Scotland is delighted to be marking the start of Global Entrepreneurship Week with this event in Brussels. Increasing the number of female entrepreneurs is recognised as a key economic driver across the world, and we’re proud that Scotland is leading the way in Europe.”