Dublin has made a list of the top 25 cities in the world that attract and foster female high-potential entrepreneurs, scoring highly in the tech sector and gender equality.
But problems remain with access to capital, a new survey has found.
The newly published 2023 Women Entrepreneur Cities Index ranked the Irish capital 23rd out of 25 for its ability to attract and retain women entrepreneurs, up from 34th in 2017. London topped the list, followed by New York and the Bay Area. Paris and Stockholm completed the top five.
First launched in 2016, the index scores cities on a number of criteria, including capital, technology, talent, culture and markets. Dublin was considered one of the most advanced cities for women in the technology category, where it placed seventh, and it was ranked eighth of 55 cities in gender equality in leadership, and 12th for access to mentors and role models for women.
However, the index also highlighted the ongoing issue with access to capital for women, a component that could help them scale their business in Dublin.
“The Dell WE Cities report is a key piece of research that not only highlights the importance of creating an environment where women entrepreneurs can thrive but also how collectively we can empower a greater number of female leaders to create and grow their business here in Ireland,” said Ciara Dempsey, regional sales senior manager at Dell Technologies Ireland.
“While there’s still much progress to be made, it’s fantastic to see Dublin recognised as an emerging hub for talented women entrepreneurs, especially in the technology industry. By further investing in high potential women entrepreneurs and equipping policymakers with data-driven insights, we can foster an ecosystem where business leaders and entrepreneurs can grow regardless of gender.”
