Female Entrepreneurship in Singapore: A Research Project by Female Founders

It is widely known that in nearly every country in the world women’s rates of entrepreneurship lag behind that of men. What are some practical actions that can increase female participation in entrepreneurship? Global research suggests that there are several areas that need to be tackled: women have less access to funding and network; work-family conflicts and gender stereotypes prevent women form active participation.  

But what about Singapore? Other than anecdotal evidence, there has been little research on the topic of female entrepreneurship.  One of the goals of Female Founders is to bring more evidence into the debate about empowering women in entrepreneurship, creating new business opportunities for women and women-led businesses as Singapore advances on its Smart Nation plans.

Through a field based research project, Female Founders aims to:

• map out the situation of female entrepreneurship in Singapore

• understand the barriers women face in becoming entrepreneurs in Singapore

• identify areas which can be actioned to increase the proportion of female entrepreneurs in Singapore

The project will combine a quantitative questionnaire survey and qualitative in-depth interviews with female entrepreneurs in Singapore.  The results of the research will be published in a report that will include:

• summary data that will provide a snap-shot of female entrepreneurs in Singapore

• personal stories of the experiences of female entrepreneurs

• recommendations to key players in the ecosystem, including venture capital firms and corporates.

The project will culminate with an event that will include a panel of eminent speakers, a keynote address, and will include entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and media.