Dr Samuel Mwaura’s Post

The study "Needs of and Challenges Faced by Ukrainian Female Entrepreneurs in the Conditions of Full-Scale War " aimed to describe the state of female entrepreneurship (micro, small, and medium enterprises) in Ukraine is now available in English. It incorporates an assessment of the needs of female entrepreneurs, including those from marginalised groups, and the challenges they face in their business activities.   For example, the survey revealed that among the general group of female entrepreneurs, 17% have a person with a disability in their household. This percentage is higher among IDP entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs with businesses in rural areas (26% and 30% respectively). Furthermore, 57% of respondents had experienced at least one form of gender discrimination.   “There was one moment at a [business] meeting [I was] addressed, like, ‘hey, darling’. And I just got up and walked out. We lost the project. The co-owner was a little angry with me, but I realised that it was enough [- it was unacceptable to me]. I mean, there was such a moment. I thought: ‘What kind of «darling» am I to you?’” Female, 28, Lviv, owner of an architectural bureau   According to the study, the typical female Ukrainian entrepreneur is a 36-year-old woman with about six years of business experience, who states that she started her business in search of opportunities to realise herself and her idea. Key findings include:   🔹 Entrepreneurs highlighted the economic crisis consequences (44%), frequent legislative and tax system changes (28%), and high competition (31%) as major concerns 🔹 47% of surveyed businesswomen use Diia. Business services, primarily for consultations (19%), online courses (16%), and financing (15%) 🔹 Only 15% of respondents received bank loans to start their businesses, with most relying on personal savings. 🔹 Each marginalised group faces unique challenges; for example, rural female entrepreneurs are more affected by the economic crisis, while those with disabilities have lower trust in banks.   The full text of the study in English is available at the following link: https://lnkd.in/gq5JNkzs   The survey was conducted in cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, and the Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office under the Good Governance Fund project “Business Revitalisation in Ukraine”, funded by UK International Development. The project delivery partners are Abt Britain and Kyiv School of Economics.

Evidence-based solutions are fundamental for building efficient and innovative initiatives.  Current dynamics in Ukraine lead to changes in gender parity in all spheres of life, especially in economy and recovery. It is crucial to consider the needs and challenges Ukrainian female entrepreneurs face to be efficient in further policy development and support. 

According to the government-backed Rose Review, boosting female entrepreneurship could add £250 billion to the UK economy if women matched men in starting and scaling businesses. The Review identified the main barriers that women face when starting and scaling a business, which include accessing finance and funding. There has been progress since the report was published in 2019, but there is still further progress to be made. Our companies have supported thousands of female founders across the country and are committed to supporting even more: Oxford Innovation Advice delivers a range of business support programmes for SMEs across the country, including Access to Finance programmes, and is a signatory of the Charter for Inclusive Entrepreneurship. Oxford Innovation Finance provides growth and development capital for innovative businesses through its angel investment community, Oxford Investment Opportunity Network Ltd (OION) and its fund, the Oxford Innovation EIS Growth Fund. It is a signatory of the Investing in Women Code. Oxford Innovation Space run the UK’s largest network of innovation centres, creating environments for entrepreneurs to innovate, collaborate, develop their technologies and grow their businesses. #womeninbusiness #femalebusinessowners #IWD2024 #inspireinclusion #finance #businessSupport #smallbusiness #SMEs #femalefounders #femaleentrepreneurs #femaleleaders #womenintech #grants #loans #equity #investment #femaleinvestors #RoseReview #Investinginwomen #inclusionanddiversity

Tanzania's Female Business Leaders Gain Support from NMB Bank. NMB Bank Plc engaged with women entrepreneurs at the 48th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair, where senior executives held discussions with members of the TANZANIA WOMEN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (TWCC).  NMB Bank’s Company Secretary, Ms. Mwantumu Salimu, acknowledged the crucial role of women in Tanzania’s economic growth and emphasized the bank’s commitment to supporting female entrepreneurs. She encouraged TWCC members to utilize NMB’s comprehensive banking services, including financial education, loans, and insurance products tailored for businesses. Ms. Salimu highlighted the importance of financial tools like the Women Entrepreneur Platform and various loan opportunities to enhance economic growth. Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Director, Ms. Mwajuma Hamza, expressed gratitude for NMB’s support, urging members to take advantage of the financial services offered to accelerate their business growth. Women in Tanzania have increasingly become pivotal in the business sector, with significant strides made in entrepreneurship. According to the World Bank's "Women, Business and the Law 2024" report, Tanzania scores relatively well in legal frameworks supporting women's economic empowerment, although there is room for improvement in supportive frameworks and expert opinions. Initiatives like NMB’s engagement at the DITF are essential in addressing these gaps and fostering a more inclusive economic environment for women entrepreneurs. Photo: 𝑀𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑇𝑊𝐶𝐶 | 𝑇𝑊𝐶𝐶

If you're an ethnic minority business operating in the UK, you don't need a report to tell you that ethnic minorities are more entrepreneurial than the UK's general population. Ethnic minorities made up less than one in five of the UK's population in 2021. At the time, one in three of its unicorns were founded by ethnic minorities. But EMBs - there's an acronym for everything - as ethnic minority businesses are known - are underperforming. They should be contributing as much as £100b to the UK economy. But they are not. Again, we don't need a report to tell us why: mostly it's lack of access to financial and business support and to networks that could open doors to both funding and opportunities. So what's to be done? According to the Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME), real change will only follow policy changes and concerted government initiatives and incentives. Without those, EMBs will continue to underperform, which would be a loss for their businesses, communities as well as the economy. #Queserasera. In the meantime, we'll just have to look after ourselves! Are you an ethnic minority business founder? What are your challenges? How have you overcome them? #emb #founders #ethnicminoritybusiness #bame #smallbusiness #businesspolicy https://lnkd.in/edYJAb46

https://lnkd.in/dJs7dSEw My article titled “Islamic Finance Empowering Women Entrepreneurs” published in Pakistan & Gulf Economist - Issue April 2024 #IslamicFinance #Entrepreneurship #EthcialFinance #Pakistan

As an entrepreneur, there are two words I listen out for in every State of the Nation Address: small business. It's something I'll be looking out for when #budget2024 is delivered as well. I’m glad President Cyril Ramaphosa touched on the power of small businesses and start-ups in #SONA2024. Thanks, Mr President. But can we go further? According to Small Enterprise Development Agency_gov, six in 10 jobs in South Africa were created by SMEs in 2021. While the government has allocated billions of rands to support this sector, is there enough accountability regarding how that money is spent? Considering the size of the budget, is the impact what it should be? Small businesses need: ✅ An enabling environment ⚡ Infrastructure that works ✂ Reduced red tape in finance and procurement   When the African Continental Free Trade Area finally becomes a reality, will entrepreneurs in South Africa be equipped to benefit from “one African market”? https://lnkd.in/dxjCbirY #entrepreneurship #afcfta #sona2024 #SME #jobcreation

It's 5 years since Alison Rose said the UK could add *£250 billion* to the economy if women started and scaled new businesses at the same rate as men. 📈 So how are we doing? Plenty of initiatives, and more companies are led by women. But what about actual funding? One key source is Start Up Loans from the British Business Bank. Finder analysis released today shows the gap in Start Up Loans for women vs men has got wider since the Rose Review was published in 2019. Our free report includes views from a panel of experts on what needs to happen to close the female funding gap. Huge thanks to our contributors from Mazuma Accountants, Choice Business Loans, Launch Club Capital, Runway East, London Business School and SkyParlour. Download the report, by Michelle Stevens, for free - link in the comments 👇#startup #businessloans

We know the consequences of female entrepreneurs missing out on funding are significant. But how significant? We surveyed founders and investors on what they think the consequences are if we do not support female entrepreneurs better. Here’s what you need to know 👇🏻 • Over a quarter (28%) of British female entrepreneurs could be forced to seek funding from overseas if the barriers and challenges they face to accessing finance in the UK persist. • One fifth (20%) of respondents fear that without adequate funding, their businesses may struggle to perform or could face complete closure while a third (35%) would sell the business earlier than planned. • 17% would consider funding the business themselves if possible. • Investors and founders agree that securing pre-seed funding is the biggest barrier (51%), nearly a third (30%) said this was followed by the seed stage and a further 15% said Series A was the toughest stage. These stats show the scale of the challenges that female-powered businesses face compared to male counterparts. Our findings reveal an urgent need for targeted support to ensure female talent businesses can thrive and prevent the UK missing out 🚨

In the U.S.,“women-owned businesses generate $2.7 trillion in revenue.” So why is it still so challenging for female entrepreneurs to secure funding? Beirne Partner Lindsey Allard, MBA, AWMA explores this important topic in her latest piece for Forbes Finance Council. #WomenOnWealth #WomensHistoryMonth #Finance #InvestmentAdvisor