10 Best Countries for Women Entrepreneurs in 2026: Where to Build and Scale

1. United States, North America

The U.S. continues to be one of the most favourable locations in the world for female entrepreneurs to start a business. Owing to its well-developed capital markets, large consumer economy, mature startup ecosystem, and government procurement opportunities, it is one of the best countries for women founders to establish ventures.

The country scored 75/100 on the World Bank’s entrepreneurship legal framework indicator in 2025. It also offers a favourable general business environment, with venture capital, angel investment, accelerators, specialized networks, and more.

Perhaps the most practical opportunity is the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract Program. The U.S. government aims to ensure that at least 5 percent of federal contracting funds go to women-owned small businesses, and some contracts can even be reserved exclusively for them.

Most in-demand industries in the U.S.: Technology, healthcare, professional services, consumer brands, AI, and high-growth startups.

Practical advantage for women entrepreneurs in the U.S.: Women founders with a B2B business can explore government procurement alongside conventional funding routes, giving them an additional route to revenue.

2. Canada, North America

Canada stands out for having built one of the most comprehensive national-level frameworks for supporting women entrepreneurs.

This is demonstrated by its Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES), which integrates funding, mentorship, networks, knowledge, and ecosystem support. Since its launch in 2018, WES has supported women entrepreneurs through hundreds of thousands of program engagements, and more than 35,200 loans or grants have been made under the initiative.

The assistance continues to grow: an additional C$173.7 million over five years for WES, announced in 2026, will support financing, training, and networks, among other initiatives. The Women Entrepreneurship Loan Fund provides loans of up to C$50,000 through participating organizations.

Canada also scores 75/100 on the World Bank’s entrepreneurship legal framework indicator.

Most in-demand industries in Canada: Small businesses, social enterprises, food, sustainability, professional services, and businesses looking to expand internationally.

Practical advantage for women entrepreneurs in Canada: Founders can look beyond banks and explore dedicated women-focused loans, ecosystem organizations, mentoring, and export support.

3. United Kingdom, Europe

The UK has a strong services sector, a strong financial sector, and one of the most powerful startup ecosystems in Europe.

London’s No. 3 ranking among global startup ecosystems in 2025 makes the country even more appealing to entrepreneurs seeking investors, talent, and foreign markets.

In addition, the Investing in Women Code is an instrument specifically designed to tackle the gender financing gap. Created in 2019, the code now has more than 300 signatories, including major financial institutions. According to recent reports, signatories have allocated a higher share of investment funding to female-owned companies than the general market has for the sixth year in a row.

The UK government has supported a £100 million commitment from the British Business Bank for female venture capital funds.

Most in-demand industries in the UK: Fintech, AI, professional services, creative industries, healthcare, and international startups.

Practical advantage for women entrepreneurs in the UK: Women founders should actively look for finance providers participating in the Investing in Women Code and use the ecosystem’s gender-specific finance and mentoring resources.