Top 10 Trends for Female Entrepreneurs in South America in 2025
As the entrepreneurial landscape continues to evolve, female entrepreneurs in South America face a mixture of unique challenges and opportunities. In 2025, certain trends are expected to dominate the narrative for women-led initiatives across the continent. Here's a comprehensive look at the top ten trends shaping female entrepreneurship in South America this year.
Write FREE SEO-optimized Blog Articles! Our Article Writer ensures your blog is loved by both Google and your readers, turning those clicks into customers.
👉 Write your article here
1. The Rise of Necessity-Driven Entrepreneurship
Trend: A significant proportion of women in South America launch businesses primarily out of necessity due to limited job opportunities rather than through a pursuit of entrepreneurship.
Data Points:
- Over 84% of female entrepreneurs in six Latin American countries started businesses due to a lack of better employment options.
- 82.2% of women in Latin America and the Caribbean cite a lack of job opportunities as their motivation for starting a business.
- The region has a necessity-driven entrepreneurship rate that stands at 21.2%, the highest globally.
- Job scarcity is noted as the main reason for initiating a business by 72.9% of women compared to 67.2% of men.
- This trend is more pronounced for women than men in South America.
2. Digital Skills and Transformation are Key to Growth
Trend: For women entrepreneurs to thrive, digital literacy and the adoption of modern technology are paramount.
Data Points:
- Less than 40% of people in Latin America possess basic computer skills.
- Women represent only 32% of the workforce in information and communications sectors in the region.
- There's a noted gender gap in digital skills, with 62% of institutional representatives acknowledging it as a critical issue.
- Less than 50% of women participate in organizational digital transformation processes.
- Bridging this gap is essential for enhancing women's ability to leverage technology for business.
Boost Your SEO with 1,500+ Free Business Directories: increase your DA, get backlinks and traffic.
We've compiled an exclusive list of directories and websites where you can submit your business and start building high-quality backlinks to boost your website traffic and get your SEO snowball rolling.
👉 Submit your startup now!
3. Limited Access to Funding and Capital
Trend: Fund access remains a significant hurdle for women entrepreneurs, stunting the growth of female-led enterprises.
Data Points:
- A staggering 73% of women entrepreneurs cannot find support from financial institutions.
- The capital required by women entrepreneurs ranges between $17,000 and $200,000.
- Funding challenges account for 56% of failures in female-led businesses.
- 80.2% of respondents highlight that women-owned businesses receive less investment than their male counterparts.
- The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor studies correlate lack of funding directly with business failures among women.
4. Focus on Specific Sectors
Trend: Women entrepreneurs predominantly operate in specific sectors like retail and services, with a push toward diversifying their industry presence.
Data Points:
- Approximately 60.2% of women in early-stage entrepreneurship are involved in wholesale or retail.
- The health, education, and social services sector attract around 13% of female entrepreneurs.
- Notably, 28% are found in the food and beverage sector, while 22% are engaged in clothing and textiles.
- Only 2.7% venture into the ICT sector, revealing potential gaps in tech participation.
- Women are significantly active in traditional sectors like textiles and small-scale agriculture.
5. The Importance of Networking and Mentorship
Trend: Networking and mentorship initiatives are becoming critical for promoting women in entrepreneurship and closing the gender gap.
Data Points:
- Programs like EY’s "Winning Women" and Visa’s "She's Next" offer funding and mentorship exclusively for women.
- FUNDES provides digital skills acquisition for women entrepreneurs through webinars and coaching.
- The Grameen Foundation focuses on crafting educational content to empower women through digital tools.
- Organizations are encouraged to enhance visibility for women in technology.
- Mentoring initiatives are identified as vital catalysts for women’s business growth.
Boost Your SEO by Getting Featured in Our Blogs and get a backlink.
We publish content about startups, education, tech, funding, etc. that ranks well not only in Google but also in Perplexity, ChatGPT, Grok and other AI tools.
👉 Get featured now!
6. Technology Adoption and the Closing of the Digital Gap
Trend: Women's businesses are increasingly leveraging technology, but challenges in digital literacy persist.
Data Points:
- Research indicates that women may lack the confidence and skills to fully harness available digital technologies.
- The pandemic underscored the importance of digital tools for business resilience.
- Initiatives that promote digital skills show a positive impact on women aiming for careers in tech.
- AI is being utilized to assess non-traditional data for expanding loan access for female entrepreneurs.
- E-commerce platforms are allowing women to create businesses and tap into global markets effectively.
7. Sustainability as a Core Business Strategy
Trend: Sustainability is increasingly becoming integral to business models among women entrepreneurs.
Data Points:
- The emphasis on eco-friendly practices among women entrepreneurs is notable, with many leading sustainability efforts.
- Women are pioneering changes in sectors spanning green technology to ethical fashion.
- Circular economic principles are gaining attention among female-led businesses.
- Demand for sustainable products and practices from consumers is on the rise.
- Entrepreneurs are pushing back against unsustainable supply chains, opting for responsible practices.
8. Flexible Work Models and Remote Opportunities
Trend: The increase in remote work opportunities is enabling women to balance professional and personal responsibilities.
Data Points:
- Remote work has grown, allowing women to participate in the workforce while managing domestic roles.
- Hybrid working models are leading to a rise in entrepreneurship among women looking for flexibility.
- A void in support for caregiving duties drives the preference for work-from-home opportunities.
- Remote jobs, such as virtual assistants, are expanding rapidly.
- The demand for flexible roles is prompting businesses to rethink operational structures.
9. Support for Women-Led Startups
Trend: Special focus on women-led startups is emerging in funding initiatives aimed at breaking into male-dominated sectors.
Data Points:
- The number of funding programs for female entrepreneurs is steadily increasing.
- Competitions like the Unlock Her Future Prize aim to support female entrepreneurs starting in 2025.
- Many startup ventures are focused on sustainability, appealing to conscious consumer values.
- Access to funding and support programs is enhancing the entrepreneurial landscape for women.
- Government and community initiatives are stepping up to ensure women's enterprises receive necessary backing.
10. Regional Leaders in Female Entrepreneurship
Trend: Certain countries in South America are emerging as leaders in fostering female entrepreneurship.
Data Points:
- Peru records the highest percentage of female-led enterprises in Latin America, at 36%.
- Colombia presents a vibrant community with a female entrepreneurial participation rate of 26%.
- Brazil's rate is at 23.1%, showing progress in female-run businesses.
- Both Colombia and Ecuador show gender parity in new business ownership rates.
- In 2021, Peru was noted for having 29.5% of its businesses owned by women.
These trends highlight a robust yet challenging environment for female entrepreneurs in South America in 2025, indicating areas for growth and development while documenting the barriers many still face.
Join F/MS: Startup Facilitator & Incubator and unlock your startup dreams today! Get your first customers, register you company in the Netherlands and get startup visas for the team.
FAQ
Q: What trend indicates women are starting businesses out of necessity in South America?
A: The trend of necessity-driven entrepreneurship shows that many women in South America start businesses due to a lack of formal job opportunities, with approximately 84% of female entrepreneurs citing this reason. Learn more about necessity-driven entrepreneurship.
Q: Why are digital skills crucial for women entrepreneurs in South America?
A: The rise of digital technologies is essential for women entrepreneurs to grow their businesses, as less than 40% of people in the region have basic computer knowledge, and women make up only 32% of employees in the ICT sector. Discover the importance of digital skills.
Q: What challenges do women entrepreneurs face in accessing funding?
A: Women entrepreneurs in South America struggle significantly with accessing funding, as 73% report being unable to get support from financial institutions, leading to high rates of business failures due to funding issues. Read about funding challenges.
Q: In which sectors do female entrepreneurs predominantly operate?
A: Female entrepreneurs tend to concentrate in sectors such as retail and social services, with around 60% engaged in wholesale and retail activities, and a notable push for diversification into other sectors. Learn more about sector focus.
Q: How important are support networks for women entrepreneurs?
A: Networking and mentorship are vital for empowering female entrepreneurs, with programs providing key support in areas like funding, mentorship, and digital skills training to help close the gender gap. Find out more about networking and mentorship.
Q: What role does technology play in overcoming business challenges?
A: The adoption of technology, including digital tools and AI, has transformed how women run businesses, although many still face skills gaps that hinder effective usage. Explore the role of technology.
Q: How are sustainability practices affecting female entrepreneurship?
A: There is a growing emphasis on sustainability among women entrepreneurs, as they lead initiatives focused on eco-friendly practices and the circular economy in response to consumer demands. Learn about sustainability in entrepreneurship.
Q: What flexible work models are emerging for women?
A: The rise of remote and hybrid work models is providing increased opportunities for women to balance professional and personal responsibilities, which is particularly important in caregiving roles they often hold. Discover flexible work models.
Q: What initiatives support women-led startups in South America?
A: Increased focus on funding and support for women-led startups is evident, with various programs aimed at enhancing their chances of success and breaking into traditionally male-dominated industries. Find out more about support for women-led startups.
Q: Which countries in South America are leaders in female entrepreneurship?
A: Countries like Peru, Colombia, and Brazil have notable rates of female entrepreneurship, with Peru showcasing one of the highest percentages of women-run enterprises at 36%. Learn more about regional leaders in female entrepreneurship.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
