Women Entrepreneurs in UK Face 25% Lower Business Exit Valuations

• A study by Evelyn Partners found female entrepreneurs’ ventures are valued 25% less than male counterparts
• The findings were given at the No Diversity, No Deal conference in Glasgow
• Male entrepreneurs had an average exit valuation of £5.2 million compared to £3.9 million for female founders

Fresh analysis by Evelyn Partners, at the No Diversity, No Deal conference in Glasgow, reveals women entrepreneurs receive 25 percent lower valuations when selling their companies.

Initial results of Evelyn Partners' Next Exit report reveal male founders receiving an average of £5.2 million on exit, and female founders receiving £3.9 million. The report will be available in full in October 2025.

The event sponsored by KPMG in Scotland and held at The Ivy on Buchanan Street, attracted business leaders, investors, and advisers to share the findings.

Evelyn Partners' Head of Entrepreneurs Business Development Alison Fitzsimons called the gap "disappointing but not surprising," attributing it to obstacles including access to capital and bias in negotiation.

Existing statistics reveal less than two percent of venture capital and just 3 percent of equity capital flowing to women-owned firms in the UK.

The Next Exit study also finds that 65 percent of women founders report high stress from the exit process, versus 47 percent of men, and that woman are 15 percent less likely to be satisfied after sale.

Speakers at the event commented that issues for women go beyond early investment. Caroline Macgregor, Up-Scale's founder, stated the 25 percent valuation difference demonstrates that women are "undervalued along the way, including at the negotiating table."

Livign James's Sophie Randles focused on the need for platforms such as No Diversity, No Deal, that promote collaboration and trigger practical action to engage with women in business.

The venture, also co-founded by Fitzsimons, Randles, and Women's Enterprise Scotland's Jane Stewart, seeks to develop a like-minded network for female entrepreneurs and tackle ongoing issues including access to resources, decision-making confidence, and growing businesses.

The new edition highlighted the imperative for change at a systems level, and demands to increase investment and advisory services for women entrepreneurs in Scotland and throughout the UK.