Business people feel undervalued

ENTREPRENEURS feel undervalued with persistent disparities in access to finance, networks and scale-up support, particularly for women founders and businesses outside the UK’s most prosperous nations and regions, new research suggests.

- SION BARRY Business editor [e-mail]

While the 2025 UK StartUp Report points to a business founder community that is confident, ambitious and opportunity-driven, business founders are frustrated by fragmented support and a perception that entrepreneurship remains undervalued by society and government.

‘The report confirms entrepreneurship in the UK continues to be driven by opportunity rather than necessity, with founders motivated by independence, creativity and ambition. It also shows UK founders are highly educated: 70% are university graduates, including 27% with a master’s degree and 5% with a PhD.

Speed to market is now defining the startup mindset. Nearly seven in 10 founders (69%) launched their business within a year of developing the initial idea, including 25% who went from concept to launch in under three months. The home remains the dominant base for entrepreneurship, with 68% of startups launched and initially operated from the founder's residence, reflecting flexibility enabled by digital infrastructure.