A recent study by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) reports that an estimated 126 million women were either starting up or running new businesses across 67 economies in 2012. Of that 126 million, the largest location for growth was in sub-Saharan Africa, where the benefits of micro-financing are being felt by the local female population. But this overall trend isn’t relegated to one small part of the planet, its being felt worldwide, and it’s a great sign for the future of entrepreneurship.
True innovation and forward thinking requires the involvement of a diverse and varied sea of talent from which to flourish. For far too long a hefty portion of the adult population was essentially boxed out from world of small business ownership, resulting in a watering down of the creativity gene pool. If these numbers are any indicator, that imbalance is starting to wane.
Stateside, this particular development has enormous implications for future of the country. As the economy continues its slow, painful crawl back to some semblance of respectability, the United States is going to need this trend of increase female entrepreneurship to continue. As these women grow their businesses the number of employees that they will be able to hire will also increase, providing another avenue for job growth that in the past might otherwise not have materialized. Let’s hope this is on trend that is here to stay!