The focus on women aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5), which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Women are significantly underrepresented in entrepreneurship, with only about 1 in 5 businesses majority-owned by women. They also face heightened challenges, such as limited access to funding, mentorship, and networks. These challenges are not unique to women but are experienced to a greater degree by them.

SDG 5 is acknowledged as a key enabler to achieving allother SDGs, making gender equality crucial for sustainable development.
Tailored support ensures women have equitable opportunities to succeed in business, which in turn drives economic and social progress.

Supporting women does not mean excluding men. It’s about addressing systemic inequalities that disproportionately affect women and improving inclusion and participation rates in enterprise. When we increase diversity in entrepreneurship, we create an environment where innovation and productivity thrive, benefiting everyone, including men.

By helping women overcome barriers, we contribute to a balanced and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem that fosters collaboration and prosperity for all.

While general support is important, a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t address the specific challenges women face, including cultural biases, caregiving responsibilities, and underrepresentation. Tailored programs are designed to meet these needs and are proven to be more effective in closing the gender gap in entrepreneurship.

Tailored approaches are widely used across industries and sectors to increase impact for sizeable groups with distinct needs. By focusing on women, we ensure resources are used efficiently to address gaps and maximise results.

Although progress has been made, significant gaps remain. For example, women receive only 2% of global venture capital funding despite representing a growing share of entrepreneurs. Beyond funding, women often face systemic barriers in accessing mentorship, business networks, and leadership opportunities.

Tailored initiatives are essential to bridging these gaps and creating a truly equitable entrepreneurial landscape. Achieving equality in entrepreneurship benefits society by driving innovation and economic growth.

Although progress has been made, significant gaps remain. For example, women receive only 2% of global venture capital funding despite representing a growing share of entrepreneurs. Beyond funding, women often face systemic barriers in accessing mentorship, business networks, and leadership opportunities.

Tailored initiatives are essential to bridging these gaps and creating a truly equitable entrepreneurial landscape. Achieving equality in entrepreneurship benefits society by driving innovation and economic growth.

Empowering women entrepreneurs drives economic growth, innovation, and job creation. Studies show that when women succeed, they reinvest in their families and communities, creating a ripple effect of positive change.

Achieving gender equality in entrepreneurship also contributes to the broader aims of the SDGs. SDG 5 is recognised as a foundational enabler for achieving the other SDGs, making gender-equitable entrepreneurship a cornerstone of sustainable development.

Not at all. Women are equally capable but face systemic barriers outwith their control, such as unequal access to funding and persistent biases in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Tailored support ensures women have the same opportunities to succeed as their male counterparts.

This approach is about creating equitable conditions, not questioning capability.

While initiatives for women exist, demand for targeted support still far exceeds supply. Many women entrepreneurs remain underserved, and existing programs often fail to address the full range of challenges they face.

At BRT, we regularly review our programs to ensure they meet the diverse needs of entrepreneurs and reflect our commitment to achieving balance across all our offerings. Additionally, we aim to address gaps in sustaining businesses, where a marked disparity persists between men and women.

At BRT, our women’s programs are inclusive of trans andintersex women, as well as non-binary and gender-diverse individuals who are
comfortable in a space that centres on the experiences of women.

This inclusivity reflects SDG 5’s broader aspirations forgender equality and aligns with our values of fostering diversity and creating
equitable opportunities for all.

We measure success by tracking outcomes such as the number of women starting businesses, sustaining businesses, accessing funding, and achieving revenue growth. We also assess community impact to ensure our programs contribute meaningfully to gender equality and the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Men can play a vital role by mentoring women entrepreneurs, advocating for gender equality in their networks, and challenging biases that limit women’s opportunities. Gender-balanced teams are linked to radical innovation, which boosts productivity and economic growth, creating a thriving ecosystem for all.

Collaboration across genders is essential for building a more inclusive and innovative entrepreneurial landscape.