YC.Market analysts have studied the potential of women’s entrepreneurship
5 March 10:56
During 2020-2024, the number of individual entrepreneurs (IEs) in Ukraine showed an increase, and as of December 31, 2024, there were 2.3 million IEs in Ukraine, of which 1.1 million or more than 48% were women. This is stated in a study prepared by YC.Market analysts, informs
For comparison: in 2020, the total number of individual entrepreneurs was 1.9 million, of which women accounted for 0.9 million (46.1%). Thus, over five years, the total number of sole proprietors has increased by 330 thousand or 17.1%, and the number of women entrepreneurs by 200 thousand or 22.5%.
Regional peculiarities of women’s entrepreneurship
As of December 31, 2024, the leaders in the number of women in entrepreneurship were large economic centers:
м. Kyiv – 131.5 thousand
Dnipropetrovska oblast – 83.5 thousand
Lviv region – 73.1 thousand
Kharkiv region – 71.3 thousand
Odesa region – 71.4 thousand.
Khmelnytskyi region is the leader in terms of the share of women among sole proprietors (53%), followed by Volyn (50.6%) and Kirovohrad (50.5%).
Sectoral distribution of women in entrepreneurship
Auditing and accounting demonstrate the highest rate of women’s involvement: 85.7% of the business is run by women. This, according to YC.Market analysts, emphasizes the level of women’s expertise in a field that requires accuracy and analytical skills.
Educational institutions rank second, with 76.5% of women working there. This includes private schools, courses, and tutoring.
Other services are leading in absolute terms, with 66.7% of women (160,700 out of 240,900). This sector covers a wide range of activities, from consulting to household services.
Tourism and medical facilities also often rely on women’s entrepreneurial activity: 64.7% and 63.7% respectively.
Light industry and retail show a steady increase in women’s entrepreneurship: 61.1% and 60.5%.
The pharmaceutical industry, catering, and arts organizations round out the list with shares of 58.4%, 56.6%, and 56.3%.
Summarizing the results of the study, YC.Market analysts emphasize that women’s entrepreneurship in Ukraine demonstrates not only quantitative growth but also a qualitative transformation of the business environment.
The State Statistics Service has calculated the number of female CEOs
As of November 1, 2024, there are almost 236 thousand women-led businesses in Ukraine. This is 36.2% of the total number of active companies, which is 1% more than in 2023.
According to the State Statistics Service, most women leaders work in education, culture, and social services. In particular, 99% of preschools are headed by women, and in the library sector, this figure reaches 93%.
