Women Entrepreneurship in Latin America?

Women lead 65.6% of new e-commerce stores in Latin America, with Ecuador’s female startup rate at 32% in 2024.

Latin America ranks as the most entrepreneurial region globally. Women found startups at record rates across Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and Ecuador. Women-led startups secured $8.5 billion in venture capital since 2019, yet receive only 15% of total VC funding.

The Startup VC supports women founders through hands-on mentorship and capital across Latin America. Below, you will find TEA rates, VC funding data, notable founders, support programs, and global gender parity rankings.

What Is Women’s Entrepreneurship in Latin America?

Women’s entrepreneurship in Latin America is the fastest-growing segment of the startup ecosystem. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor ranks Latin America as the most entrepreneurial region in the world. Women across Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and Ecuador are launching businesses at record rates. This growth spans digital commerce, fintech, healthtech, and professional services.

Latin America has the smallest gender gap in entrepreneurial intention globally. Women show nearly equal interest in starting businesses as men. However, most women-led ventures remain concentrated in micro-enterprises. The gap between business creation and business scaling remains a core challenge for the ecosystem.

How Many Women Entrepreneurs Operate in Latin America?

Between 12% and 33% of working-age women in Latin America operate as entrepreneurs. Ecuador leads with a female Total Early-Stage Entrepreneurial Activity rate of 32.02%. Chile follows at 25.0%, and Colombia reaches 26.0%. In Brazil, 54.6% of all potential entrepreneurs are women.

Mexico reports a lower TEA rate of 12% to 15%. However, women represent 46.1% of all Mexican entrepreneurs. These figures make Latin America a global leader in female business creation. The UNDP highlights this trend as a driver of economic transformation.

Which Countries Lead in Female Entrepreneurial Activity?

The countries leading in female entrepreneurial activity are Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, and Chile. Ecuador holds the top position with 33.37% overall TEA. Brazil ranks sixth globally for established business ownership rates. Colombia maintains a 26.0% female TEA rate despite a downward trend since 2017.

Chile stands out for strong institutional support and innovation focus. Mexico contributes a large volume of women entrepreneurs. Bolivia and Peru show high participation driven by informal economic activity. Each country faces unique challenges in converting startup activity into scalable growth.

What Types of Businesses Do Women Entrepreneurs Start?

The types of businesses women entrepreneurs start include retail, professional services, and gastronomy. Retail accounts for 26.8% of female-led e-commerce businesses. Professional services represent 13.8% of women-led digital ventures. Gastronomy follows at 13.6% of online businesses created by women.

Most women-led businesses operate as micro-enterprises in consumer-facing sectors. The GEM Ecuador report notes that many ventures are survival-driven. They face high competition in low-value markets. A growing number of women are now entering fintech, healthtech, and deep tech sectors.

How Fast Is Female Entrepreneurship Growing in Latin America?

Female entrepreneurship is growing at a regional average TEA of 20.45% in 2024. This figure far exceeds the averages of high-income regions. Latin America now holds the highest female entrepreneurship rates in the world. Over 500 new startups raised their first VC rounds in the last 18 months.

What Do the 2024-2025 GEM Reports Reveal About Women’s TEA Rates?

The 2024-2025 GEM reports reveal that women’s TEA rates remain strong across Latin America. Ecuador’s female TEA rate reaches 32.02%, nearly matching men at 34.84%. Brazil has climbed to sixth place globally in established business ownership. Colombia reports a female TEA of 26.0%, and Chile reaches 25.0%.

The GEM data also shows a rising “fear of failure” among entrepreneurs. Globally, 49% of people would not start a business due to this fear. Women are 47% more likely than men to close a business for family reasons. This finding highlights the tension between caregiving and business ownership.

How Does Latin America Compare to Other Regions in Female Startup Activity?

Latin America compares to other regions in female startup activity by leading globally in entrepreneurial intention. The gender gap in startup interest is the smallest of any world region. Women in Ecuador start businesses at rates that match high-income economies. Brazil’s female potential entrepreneur pipeline exceeds 54% of all aspiring founders.

However, Latin American women lag behind in AI adoption. Women in Latin American startups are 11% less likely than men to see AI benefits. In contrast, 63% of entrepreneurs in the United States use generative technologies. This digital divide creates a second-order risk for women-led businesses.

How Has the Post-Pandemic Recovery Shaped Women-Led Ventures?

The post-pandemic recovery has shaped women-led ventures by accelerating digital adoption. The “Great Digital Acceleration” forced women entrepreneurs to move online. Women now lead the creation of 65.6% of new e-commerce stores in Latin America. This shift turned crisis into opportunity for thousands of micro-entrepreneurs.

Many women who lost formal employment during COVID-19 pivoted to self-employment. The pandemic exposed the fragility of informal work arrangements. Women who adopted digital tools saw increased business resilience. Programs like Peru’s “Digital Caser@ Manual” helped over 2,400 merchants integrate AI and WhatsApp Business.

Why Does the Gender Participation Gap Persist in Latin America?

The gender participation gap persists in Latin America because of unpaid care work and structural barriers. The female labor force participation rate stands at 52.1% in 2024. The male rate reaches 74.3%, leaving a gap of 22.2 percentage points. This gap has remained largely stagnant over the past decade.

ECLAC identifies household responsibilities as the primary driver of this gap. The “care trap” removes millions of potential women entrepreneurs from the economy. Only five Latin American countries provide the ILO-standard 18 weeks of maternity leave. High rates of labor informality leave most women without access to these protections.

How Does Unpaid Care Work Limit Women’s Economic Participation?

Unpaid care work limits women’s economic participation by removing them from the labor market entirely. Nearly 68% of women aged 15 to 24 outside education and work cite caregiving as the reason. Only 15.4% of men in the same group report the same barrier. Participation gaps widen after parenthood while men’s rates stay unchanged.

The ILO and ECLAC estimate that investing in care infrastructure could create 32 million jobs. This investment is the single most effective lever for closing the participation gap. Extended parental leave, affordable childcare, and flexible work hours would help. Without these reforms, millions of women will remain excluded from formal economies.

How Wide Is the Gender Pay Gap in Latin America?

The gender pay gap in Latin America is 20% on average. The ILO reports that women earned 20% less than men in 2024. Occupational segregation drives much of this disparity. Women concentrate in lower-paying, care-focused sectors with precarious contracts.

In the Dominican Republic, women earned 128.1 pesos per hour in 2023. Men earned 143.5 pesos per hour during the same period. This direct earnings gap limits women’s ability to save startup capital. Economic autonomy remains compromised across Latin America’s labor markets.

Which Countries Have the Highest Female Labor Force Participation?

The countries with the highest female labor force participation are Bolivia and Peru. Bolivia leads at 72.5% female participation. Peru follows at 65.2%. Brazil reports 53.0%, and Argentina reaches 52.9%.

High participation in Bolivia and Peru often reflects informal employment. Lower rates in Mexico suggest deeper structural barriers to formal jobs. Colombia and Chile show moderate participation with growing institutional support. Each country’s rate shapes the pool of potential women entrepreneurs.

How Are Women Leading the E-Commerce Revolution in Latin America?

Women are leading the e-commerce revolution in Latin America by creating the majority of new digital storefronts. An Alegra study found that women led 65.6% of new e-commerce store creation in 2024. In Mexico, 58.6% of new online businesses were launched by women. The Mexican e-commerce market is projected to reach $70.4 billion by 2027.

What Percentage of New E-Commerce Stores Do Women Create?

65.6% of new e-commerce stores across Latin America are created by women. Mexico leads with 58.6% of online businesses founded by women. Women are also the primary consumers of e-commerce in Mexico. About 51% of Mexican e-commerce users are women purchasing fashion, personal care, and technology.

This surge reflects the post-pandemic shift to digital selling. Women turned to platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook to reach customers. Social commerce became the entry point for thousands of first-time entrepreneurs. Many women used existing social networks to build customer bases quickly.

Which Sectors Attract the Most Women-Led Online Businesses?

The sectors that attract the most women-led online businesses are retail, professional services, and gastronomy. Retail leads at 26.8% of female-led e-commerce ventures. Professional services account for 13.8%. Food and gastronomy represent 13.6% of women’s digital businesses.

These sectors align with skills women already possess. Retail and gastronomy have low entry barriers. Professional services allow women to monetize education and expertise. As digital tools improve, women are expanding into higher-value sectors like fintech and consulting.

How Does the Digital Divide Affect Women Entrepreneurs?

The digital divide affects women entrepreneurs by limiting their access to advanced business tools. Only 36% of MSMEs in Latin America have their own website. Just 16% use comprehensive e-commerce platforms. Many women rely on social commerce through WhatsApp and Facebook instead.

Women who adopt digital tools see stronger business performance. A 13-point increase in women reaching “advanced” financial inclusion occurred between 2021 and 2024. Peru’s “Digital Caser@ Manual” trained over 2,400 merchants, 70% of whom are women over 50. These programs prove that digital literacy transforms business outcomes.

Which Women Founders Are Shaping Latin America’s Startup Ecosystem?

The women founders shaping Latin America’s startup ecosystem are leaders in fintech, healthtech, and deep tech. These entrepreneurs solve systemic regional challenges while scaling global businesses. They represent the 2024-2026 vanguard of Latin American innovation.

Who Are the Leading Women in Fintech Across Latin America?

The leading women in fintech across Latin America include Cristina Junqueira and Maria Oliveira Tamellini. Junqueira co-founded Nubank, now one of the world’s largest digital banks. Nubank serves more than 100 million customers across Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia. Junqueira advocates for diversity in fintech, where women account for only 7.69% of founders.

Tamellini co-founded GamerSafer in Brazil. The platform uses identity verification and AI to protect children in online gaming. Her work addresses digital safety in the growing entertainment economy. Both founders demonstrate how fintech innovation creates social impact.

Which Women Founders Are Driving Innovation in Healthtech and STEM?

The women founders driving innovation in healthtech and STEM include leaders across Colombia, Peru, and Mexico.

• Laura Velasquez Herrera (Arkangel AI, Colombia) uses AI to detect diseases early. She won the 2025 Aurora Tech Award.
• Melissa Amado (BeE3 LabTech, Peru) applies AI to optimize mining operations. She received the “Most Disruptive Award” at the 2024 Women in Tech LATAM Awards.
• Mariana Costa Checa (Laboratoria, Peru) trains women without formal education to become web developers and UX designers.
• Victoria de Leon (Mexico) earned international recognition at age 21 for her work on biomaterials for lunar missions.

These founders prove that women lead innovation across diverse STEM fields. Their work spans healthcare, mining, education, and space exploration.

How Does Venture Capital Funding Affect Women-Led Startups in Latin America?

Venture capital funding affects women-led startups in Latin America by creating a persistent “graduation gap.” Women-led startups secured only 15% of total VC capital in the first half of 2024. This figure dropped from 28% in 2022 and 19% in 2023. The decline shows that the “funding winter” hit female founders harder than male peers.

How Much Venture Capital Do Women-Led Startups Receive?

$8.5 billion in venture capital has flowed to women-led startups across 303 disclosed rounds since 2019. In the first half of 2024, women-led startups accounted for 19% of all deal counts. However, they received only 15% of total capital deployed. This gap means women receive smaller funding rounds than male-led companies.

One in four seed rounds over $1 million went to women-led firms. All-male founding teams raise 3.7 times more capital than female-only teams globally. The Latin American VC market remains flat at roughly $1 billion per quarter. Women founders compete for an increasingly limited pool of follow-on funding.

What Is the “Graduation Gap” from Seed to Series A?

The “graduation gap” from Seed to Series A is the low rate at which startups secure follow-on funding. For the 2021 cohort, only 8% of seed-funded startups raised a Series A by June 2025. This crunch affects all founders but is especially severe for women. Women lack access to the “warm intro” networks that drive follow-on financing.

The gap reveals a systemic problem in Latin America’s venture building ecosystem. Women succeed at seed stage but struggle to scale. Closing this gap requires more women in VC decision-making roles. Structural changes to investor networks could unlock significant growth potential.

How Do Women Investors Change the Funding Landscape?

Women investors change the funding landscape by directing more capital to female founders. VC firms with at least one female partner are 2.3 times more likely to fund women founders. Firms with more than 30% female partners invest 4.7 times more than all-male firms. Women now represent 22% of professionals in alternative assets worldwide.

LAVCA’s 2025 list features 223 senior-level women investors. This represents a 14% increase from the previous year. Notable funds driving change include:

• Amplifica Capital – Led by partner Mariana Jimenez, focused on diversity-driven investing.
• The Yield Lab LatAm – Supports women in agtech through partner Ana Laura Fernandez.
• Female Founders Fund – Manages $275 million in assets backing women-led companies.

What Role Does Fintech Play in Women’s Entrepreneurship Across Latin America?

Fintech plays a central role in women’s entrepreneurship across Latin America as the dominant sector for venture-backed growth. Women entrepreneurs use mobile technology and AI to solve financial access challenges. Fintech platforms reach underserved populations who lack traditional banking services. Nubank, co-founded by Cristina Junqueira, exemplifies this impact with 100 million customers.

How Are Women Using Fintech to Solve Financial Access Challenges?

Women are using fintech to solve financial access challenges by building mobile-first financial products. Digital banking platforms reach customers without traditional bank accounts. Banco Davivienda in Colombia reached 9.7 million women through its DaviPlata platform. Financial inclusion for women increased by 13 points between 2021 and 2024.

The We-Fi initiative has mobilized $5.3 billion for women entrepreneurs globally. For every dollar invested in We-Fi, $23 flows to women-led SMEs through blended finance. These programs prove that targeted financial tools close the gender funding gap. Latin America leads in deploying fintech solutions for underbanked women.

What Barriers Do Women Face in the Fintech Sector?

The barriers women face in the fintech sector include a “triple glass ceiling.”

• Low founder rates – Women represent only 7.69% of fintech founders globally.
• Limited executive presence – Women hold few senior positions within fintech companies.
• Massive funding gap – Women-led fintechs receive far less capital than male-led startups.

Mexico leads Latin America with 31% of fintechs having at least one female founder. This rate was five times the global average in 2018. However, post-pandemic data shows more volatility in these figures. The sector needs systemic change to maintain progress toward gender balance.

How Do Support Programs Help Women Entrepreneurs in Latin America?

Support programs help women entrepreneurs in Latin America by removing barriers to capital, training, and market access. Institutional initiatives connect women founders with investors and mentors. International organizations like the IDB and World Bank fund targeted programs. These efforts address the systemic obstacles that slow women’s business growth.

What Is the IDB WeXchange Platform?

The IDB WeXchange platform is the primary connector for Latin American women in STEM entrepreneurship. IDB Lab launched the thirteenth edition of WeXchange in June 2025. The program targets startups from pre-seed to Series B that are currently raising capital. WeXchange connects women founders in fintech, healthtech, biotech, and agtech with global investors.

The platform hosts “Innovation for Impact” events where women pitch directly to VCs. WeXchange has become a launchpad for STEM-focused women founders. Past participants include Laura Mendoza, who won the 2018 pitch contest for her healthcare startup. The program builds bridges between Latin American innovation and international capital.

How Does the WE Finance Code Expand Funding for Women?

The WE Finance Code expands funding for women by creating gender-focused banking standards. The initiative celebrated its first anniversary in 2024. It is now piloted in over 28 countries worldwide. Regulators, banks, and development institutions commit to increasing funding for women-led MSMEs.

The We-Fi partnership produces strong returns on investment. For every dollar invested, approximately $23 flows to women-led small businesses. This blended finance model attracts private capital alongside public funds. The WE Finance Code represents a systemic shift in how banks serve women entrepreneurs.

Which Organizations Provide Mentorship for Women in Tech?

The organizations that provide mentorship for women in tech include WoomUp, UTEC Posgrado, and Laboratoria. WoomUp offers professional growth support for women in technology careers. UTEC Posgrado partners with tech companies to create pathways for women. Laboratoria trains women from disadvantaged backgrounds to become developers and UX designers.

Google and IBM partner with Laboratoria to provide industry-standard training. These partnerships help break cycles of inequality in Latin American tech. The growing network of support organizations reflects increasing commitment to women’s success. Founders across Latin America now have more resources than ever before.

How Does Latin America Rank in the Global Gender Gap?

Latin America ranks in the global gender gap by placing third-highest among all regions. The 2025 World Economic Forum report shows Latin America has closed 74.5% of its overall gender gap. Latin America has made the greatest overall progress of any region since 2006. Latin America closed 8.6 percentage points of its gender gap during that period.

Which Latin American Countries Score Highest for Gender Parity?

The Latin American countries that score highest for gender parity are Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Costa Rica ranks 16th globally with a parity score of 0.786. Nicaragua follows at 18th with 0.783. Chile ranks 22nd, and Mexico ranks 23rd. Ecuador holds 25th place globally.

The WEF identifies Ecuador and Mexico as “sprinters.” These economies move toward parity faster than the global average. Brazil ranks lower at 72nd despite its large entrepreneurial base. Every Latin American economy has closed at least 50% of its economic gender gap.

What Progress Has Latin America Made Since 2006?

The progress Latin America has made since 2006 includes closing 8.6 percentage points of its gender gap. This makes Latin America the most improved region globally during that period. Latin America excels in senior economic leadership. Latin America has closed 65.0% of the gender gap in legislative and managerial roles.

The Economic Participation and Opportunity sub-index remains the biggest challenge. Latin America’s score of 65.6% is the third-lowest globally. However, women’s presence in leadership positions outpaces many developed economies. Progress in education and political empowerment supports continued improvement across Latin America.

Why Does Women’s Entrepreneurship Drive Economic Growth in Latin America?

Women’s entrepreneurship drives economic growth in Latin America because it expands the productive base and reduces inequality. IDB researchers found a strong positive correlation between women’s business ownership and GDP growth. Women’s entrepreneurship can explain up to 19% of a Latin American country’s economic growth. Full female incorporation into entrepreneurship could boost global GDP by $12 trillion.

How Much Can Women’s Entrepreneurship Contribute to GDP?

$12 trillion in additional global GDP could result from full female incorporation into entrepreneurship. Women’s business ownership explains up to 19% of economic growth in Latin American countries. The IDB’s research confirms this strong positive correlation. Investing in women entrepreneurs delivers measurable returns for entire economies.

Latin America currently has approximately 39 active unicorn companies. Women represent only 7% of unicorn founders in Latin America. Over 500 new startups raised first VC rounds in the last 18 months. Women hold 25% of seed rounds over $1 million, signaling a growing pipeline for the next decade. As these founders scale, the economic impact will multiply across Latin America’s top startup cities.

How Do Women Entrepreneurs Reduce Poverty and Inequality?

Women entrepreneurs reduce poverty and inequality by creating jobs and expanding economic participation. The Latin American Research Review confirms that women founders drive employment creation. Women-led businesses reduce income inequality in their communities. They also contribute to poverty reduction across entire countries.

Investing in care infrastructure could create 32 million new jobs across Latin America. This investment would free women to participate fully in the formal economy. The ILO considers care investment the most effective lever for economic inclusion. When women entrepreneurs succeed, their communities benefit through higher incomes and more opportunities.

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