Female Founders Scottish ScaleUp Index

In 2026 the ScaleUp Institute Female Founder Scottish Scaleup Index shows 139 visible scaling female founded / cofounded businesses based in Scotland, breaking through £10.2m in turnover and / or £5.1m in assets, representing a 81% growth since 2025.

Collectively, these businesses now generate £1.5bn in revenues, employ 16,468 people, representing a 65% uplift in turnover and a 48% rise in employment since last year. They comprise 19% of all visible scaling businesses in Scotland.

Scotland’s female founded / cofounded scaling businesses are mature, showing resilience and sustained growth, with 75% operating for more than a decade, nearly half established for over 15 years and almost a third (30%) for more than 20 years.

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