19 NOVEMBER2026W MAN LEADERGLOBAL W MAN LEADERGLOBAL government procurement alongside conventional funding routes, giving them an additional route to revenue.2. CANADA, NORTH AMERICACanada 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.Support CausesThe 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, EUROPEThe 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.Support CausesThe 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 genderspecific finance and mentoring resources.4. NEW ZEALAND, OCEANIANew Zealand has a business climate that is easy to operate in, along with high levels of gender equality and entrepreneurship.Optimize OpsIt ranks sixth on the World Economic Forum's 2026 Global Gender Gap Index, having closed 82.8 percent of its gender gap. The country has also ranked among the top countries for gender parity for quite some time.Its entrepreneurial environment has long been strong as well. In Mastercard's Women Entrepreneurs Index, New Zealand ranked second because of its good SME environment, access to finance, and entrepreneurial climate.Moreover, New Zealand's government-funded innovation system includes female entrepreneurs among the groups targeted by many of its startup programs.Most in-demand industries in NZ: Agritech, sustainability, food, technology, tourism, and purpose-driven businesses.Practical advantage for women entrepreneurs in NZ: Women building innovative or impact-focused companies can explore government-supported startup and innovation programs alongside private funding. Scan the QR code to read the full Article
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