The number of female-founded and co-founded UK businesses to have passed £50m in turnover has more than doubled in the past year, according to new research from the ScaleUp Institute.
The 2026 Super ScaleUp Female Index has identified 333 businesses that have reached the £50m milestone, up from 144 last year and just 80 when the research began two years ago.
Together, the businesses generate £44.7bn in turnover and employ 284,555 people, with £5bn of equity funding raised across the group. The research also found that 34% of the businesses are less than 10 years old, compared with 25% last year.
The businesses cover a range of sectors, including retail, wholesale, food supply chains, professional services and technology, with every region of the UK represented. Two-thirds are based outside London.
Of the 333 businesses identified, 145 are currently scaling at more than 20% annual revenue growth.
The research is produced by the ScaleUp Institute in partnership with The SuperScalers, a community for female founders who have built businesses beyond £50m in revenue.
Sam Smith, co-founder of The SuperScalers, said the latest figures showed the UK had entered the “decade of the female founder”.
The number of female-founded businesses reaching the £50m mark has increased significantly since the research began, although the rise partly reflects improved identification of businesses as the research has developed.
The findings come despite continued challenges around access to finance. Research from the British Business Bank found that all-female founding teams received just 2% of UK venture capital investment in 2025, while female-led businesses also remain less likely to export.
The ScaleUp Institute’s research shows that around 40% of the businesses in the latest index are exporting internationally.
The latest figures follow the ScaleUp Institute’s 2025 index, which identified 144 female-founded or co-founded businesses that had passed £50m in turnover, with 89 of those still scaling.
Irene Graham, CEO of the ScaleUp Institute, said: “The growth in the number of female-founded businesses reaching significant scale demonstrates the contribution these entrepreneurs are making to the UK economy and the importance of ensuring they have the support needed to continue growing.”
The latest index includes businesses across the UK and highlights the growing number of female founders building companies beyond the startup stage and into significant scale.
