Top 25 Trends for Female Entrepreneurs in South America in 2025
South America's entrepreneurial landscape is dynamic, with women playing an increasingly vital role. Here is a list of the Top 25 Trends for Female Entrepreneurs in South America in 2025, complete with details, data points, and links to their sources.
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1. Necessity-Driven Entrepreneurship
Details: Many women in South America start businesses out of necessity due to a lack of formal employment opportunities. This is especially prevalent in lower-income countries.
Data Points:
- In 2022, over 84% of female entrepreneurs in six Latin American countries started businesses due to a lack of employment options.
- The necessity-driven entrepreneurship rate is higher for women compared to men in the region.
- The rate is particularly high in countries like Uruguay and Chile, which have the largest gender differences in necessity-driven entrepreneurship.
- Latin America and the Caribbean is the region with the highest rate of women starting businesses, at 21.2%
- 82.2% of women in the region start businesses due to lack of job opportunities. Learn more about necessity-driven entrepreneurship, Read more about starting a business out of necessity
2. Digital Transformation
Details: The increasing internet and mobile penetration are driving growth in e-commerce, fintech, and other digital services, offering numerous opportunities for women entrepreneurs.
Data Points:
- Internet penetration is over 75% in Latin America.
- The digital economy in the region is expected to grow by 25% between 2021 and 2025.
- E-commerce in Latin America is projected to grow by 21% in 2025.
- E-commerce revenue is projected to reach US$111.30 billion in 2025.
- The number of online buyers in the region is expected to increase by 25% by 2025. Learn more about Latin America's economic growth, Driving digital economies, Major trends among e-commerce shoppers, E-commerce outlook
3. Fintech Adoption
Details: Fintech is rapidly growing, fueled by a large unbanked population and increasing mobile usage. This creates a vast market for new financial services.
Data Points:
- The Latin American fintech market is poised for explosive growth.
- In 2021, around 135 million people in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico were unbanked.
- Emerging technologies like AI, blockchain, and biometrics are driving fintech growth.
- Latin America accounted for 9.1% of the total cryptocurrency value received worldwide between July 2023 and June 2024, with a 42.5% year-over-year growth rate. Explore the Latin America's fintech boom, Why Latin America will be a hotspot for fintech and crypto
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4. E-commerce Expansion
Details: E-commerce continues to grow rapidly with a large potential market, presenting opportunities for female entrepreneurs to start or expand online businesses.
Data Points:
- E-commerce sales in Latin America are expected to reach $160 billion by 2025.
- By 2026, e-commerce transaction volume in Latin America will reach US$923 billion.
- The e-commerce market in Latin America could reach $200 billion by 2025.
- Electronic payments are transitioning from a bottleneck to a booming sector. Learn more about retail e-commerce sales, E-commerce potential, Major trends among e-commerce shoppers
5. Renewable Energy and Sustainability
Details: Increased investment in renewable energy projects offers opportunities in green technologies and sustainable practices.
Data Points:
- Countries like Chile, Brazil, and Mexico are investing in renewable energy projects.
- Latin American countries are embracing sustainability practices in agriculture, mining, and forestry.
- The region's renewable energy sector is projected to grow significantly. Learn more about major economic trends, Economic growth and opportunities
6. Rise of Women-Led Startups
Details: There is an increase in women-led startups across various sectors, supported by funding programs focused on female founders.
Data Points:
- Women are making inroads in sectors traditionally dominated by men.
- More funding programs are being aimed at female founders.
- More than 30% of startups in Latin America are spearheaded by women.
- Funding for female led startups surged by 50% in the past year. Top business trends women should watch, Strategies and trends for successful entrepreneurship
7. Social Entrepreneurship
Details: A growing movement of businesses focused on addressing social and environmental problems is gaining traction in South America.
Data Points:
- Social entrepreneurship is a growing movement in the region.
- Organizations are developing methodologies and scaling social entrepreneurship movements.
- Latin America has the opportunity to be a leader in sustainable and integrative entrepreneurship models. Redefining social entrepreneurship, Building inclusion and dynamism
8. Cross-Border Collaboration
Details: Increased collaboration between countries in the region will create new opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to expand.
Data Points:
- Regional integration is increasing in trade, finance, and fintech.
- Fintechs are expanding capabilities for seamless regional and international transactions.
- The region's countries are advocating for deepening regional cooperation on digital transformation. LatAm fintech trends, Regional cooperation on digital
9. Focus on STEM
Details: Women are increasingly engaging in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, with growth in women-led STEM companies.
Data Points:
- Women-led companies in STEM are raising more capital.
- The sectors they focus on are mainly education technology, SaaS (software as a service) and health technologies.
- Only half of STEMpreneurs have a STEM background. Funding gap for women tech entrepreneurs
10. AI and Automation
Details: Businesses are leveraging AI and automation to streamline operations and enhance customer experience, providing new opportunities for tech-savvy entrepreneurs.
Data Points:
- Businesses are investing more in AI and Machine Learning.
- AI is expected to contribute over 5% to Latin America's GDP by 2030.
- AI is transforming business operations across industries. Transform Latin America's global impact, Latin America software industry, Top business trends women should watch
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11. Flexible Work Models
Details: Remote and hybrid work models are becoming the norm, providing more flexibility for women entrepreneurs.
Data Points:
- 70% of startups have embraced flexible work arrangements.
- Hybrid and remote work models are becoming the norm.
- Flexible work arrangements remain in high demand in 2025. Top business trends women should watch, Strategies and trends
12. Increased Access to Funding
Details: While still a challenge, access to funding for women-led businesses is slowly improving with more initiatives and programs available.
Data Points:
- Funding for female-led startups has surged by 50% in the past year.
- There is a funding gap for women tech entrepreneurs in Latin America.
- Despite progress, 38% of women entrepreneurs still cite lack of financing as the main obstacle to business growth. Strategies and trends, Funding gap for women tech entrepreneurs
13. Focus on Hyper-Personalization
Details: Businesses are increasingly focusing on offering hyper-personalized customer experiences to improve customer loyalty and retention.
Data Points:
- Businesses are developing strategies for offering hyper-personalized customer experiences.
- Data-based strategies are being leveraged by retailers.
- Companies are using technology to improve customer interactions. Small business trends for 2025, Retail economy Latin America, Strategies and trends
14. Growing Crypto Market
Details: The cryptocurrency market in Latin America is growing rapidly, presenting opportunities for female entrepreneurs in the fintech space.
Data Points:
- The cryptocurrency market in Latin America has seen significant growth.
- As of 2023, over 80 million people in Latin America own cryptocurrencies.
- The market size has surpassed $100 billion in value. Why Latin America will be a hotspot
15. Regional Integration
Details: Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico are becoming hubs for fintech solutions.
Data Points:
- Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico are becoming hubs for trade-finance focused fintech solutions.
- Mercosul conversations are intensifying.
- Stronger macro year expected for Argentina, driving higher volumes across the region. LatAm fintech trends
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16. Healthcare and Insurance
Details: The insurance sector in Latin America is catching up, driven by embedded solutions and new distribution models.
Data Points:
- Alternative insurance products tailored for underserved markets are gaining traction.
- Insurance companies are focusing on automation and AI for claims processing.
- Healthcare providers will focus on automation and AI for customer management. LatAm fintech trends
17. Open Banking
Details: The open banking market is expected to grow, creating opportunities for fintech companies.
Data Points:
- By 2030, the open banking market is expected to reach $135.17 billion.
- Countries are introducing frameworks to encourage data sharing and foster competition.
- Open banking will facilitate fintech expansion across Latin American countries. Top fintech trends to watch, Fintech boom in 2025
18. Growth in Digital Payment Adoption
Details: Digital payments are becoming increasingly popular among consumers, creating opportunities for fintech entrepreneurs.
Data Points:
- The way companies and individuals pay and get paid via digital channels has become an essential priority to support the needs of businesses.
- Payments have become faster and more transparent, particularly for lower value payments. Driving digital economies
19. Focus on Under-Served Markets
Details: There is an increasing focus on creating products and services tailored for underserved markets like farmers, delivery drivers, and small businesses.
Data Points:
- Products are being tailored for underserved markets.
- Alternative insurance products are gaining traction. LatAm fintech trends
20. Corporate Open Innovation
Details: The report also points out the importance of corporate open innovation initiatives with startups.
Data Points:
- Corporate open innovation initiatives with startups are important to boost the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
- Latin America has the opportunity to position itself as a leader in innovative solutions. Building inclusion and dynamism
21. Government Support for Startups
Details: Governments in countries like Colombia and Chile are helping startups through funding and tax benefits.
Data Points:
- Governments are providing funding, offering tax benefits, and creating programs to support young entrepreneurs.
- This encourages individuals to take risks and start their own companies. Read more about software industry in Latin America
22. Mentorship and Networking Opportunities
Details: Initiatives providing mentorship, networking opportunities, and business training are increasing.
Data Points:
- Mentorship programs are emerging to support female entrepreneurs.
- Business training courses are available to create a favorable atmosphere for female entrepreneurs.
- Programs provide money, mentoring, and networking opportunities for women. Pioneering change in female entrepreneurship, Top countries for female entrepreneurs
23. Increased Focus on Sustainability
Details: Businesses are expected to adopt eco-friendly practices, and women are leading this trend.
Data Points:
- Businesses are expected to adopt eco-friendly practices.
- Female leaders are driving sustainable change across industries.
- Sustainability is a top trend in the startup scene across Latin America. Top business trends women should watch, Strategies and trends
24. Emerging Tech Hubs
Details: The rise of tech startups are leading to the development of tech hubs in the region, boosting the Latin American tech industry.
Data Points:
- More tech startups will emerge in Latin America in 2025.
- Startups in Latin America are focusing on solving local and global problems. Latin America software industry
25. Growth in Minority and Women-Owned Businesses
Details: There is an expected boom for minority and women-owned businesses.
Data Points:
- Most minority and women-owned businesses anticipate a spike in revenue and growth over the next 12 months.
- 84% of Black/African American businesses, 83% of Asian American and Pacific Islander businesses, 82% of Hispanic/Latino American businesses, and 76% of women anticipate revenue growth over the next year. Minority and women business owners expect boom
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FAQ
Q: What drives necessity-driven entrepreneurship among women in South America?
A: Many women in South America start businesses out of necessity due to a lack of formal employment opportunities. [Learn more] (https://www.promujer.org/blog/starting-a-business-out-of-necessity-the-reality-of-women-entrepreneurs-in-latin-america/).
Q: How is digital transformation impacting female entrepreneurs in South America?
A: Increasing internet and mobile penetration are driving growth in e-commerce, fintech, and other digital services, offering numerous opportunities for women entrepreneurs. Discover more.
Q: Why is fintech adoption growing rapidly in South America?
A: The large unbanked population and increasing mobile usage are driving significant growth in fintech, creating vast opportunities for new financial services. Read more.
Q: What are the projections for e-commerce in South America by 2025?
A: E-commerce sales in Latin America are expected to reach $160 billion by 2025. Find out more.
Q: Which sectors offer new opportunities due to renewable energy investments in South America?
A: Increased investments in renewable energy projects, especially in countries like Chile, Brazil, and Mexico, offer opportunities in green technologies and sustainable practices. Learn more.
Q: How are startup funding programs targeting female entrepreneurs in South America?
A: There is an increase in women-led startups across various sectors, supported by funding programs focused on female founders. Read more.
Q: What role is social entrepreneurship playing for women in South America?
A: Social entrepreneurship, which focuses on addressing social and environmental issues, is growing and gaining traction in South America. Discover more.
Q: How does cross-border collaboration benefit female entrepreneurs in South America?
A: Increased regional integration and collaboration between countries in the region create new opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to expand. Learn more.
Q: What opportunities are emerging for women in STEM in South America?
A: Women are increasingly engaging in STEM fields, with growth in women-led STEM companies focusing on education technology, SaaS, and health technologies. Read more.
Q: What is the significance of AI and automation for businesses in South America?
A: Businesses are leveraging AI and automation to streamline operations and enhance customer experience, providing new opportunities for tech-savvy entrepreneurs. Find out more.
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.