New survey data from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants found that 48% of women working in finance and accounting aspire to become entrepreneurs, up from 45% last year.
The findings were released as a teaser for ACCA’s global survey of more than 11,000 finance professionals across 175 countries, with the full report due for publication in May. The survey data was also made public last week before International Women’s Day on March 8.
The increase in entrepreneurial ambition signals growing confidence among women in using accounting and finance training as a steppingstone to business ownership. While entrepreneurial ambitions remain higher among men overall, the narrowing gap reflects a significant shift in career confidence and long-term aspirations, the ACCA says.
The data also indicates that younger female professionals, particularly Generation Z and millennials, have the most entrepreneurial motivation, with half suggesting they want to own a business in the future. This points to a generational drive toward autonomy, impact, and financial independence.
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“Entrepreneurship represents economic empowerment in action. The number of women aspiring to business ownership is an encouraging signal that finance and accountancy skills are equipping women not only to lead within organizations, but to build enterprises of their own,” Helen Brand, chief executive of the ACCA, said in a statement. “Accountancy provides a powerful platform for entrepreneurial success, combining financial expertise, governance, risk management, technology, and strategic insight. Supporting women to translate ambition into enterprise is essential not just for equality, but for economic growth.”
The global survey shows that accounting remains a natural training ground for future business owners, with more than half of respondents overall viewing their finance background as beneficial for entrepreneurial careers. Ambitions are particularly strong in emerging markets, where entrepreneurship is often seen as a pathway to economic mobility and societal impact, the ACCA says.
The research also highlights that women’s entrepreneurial aspirations sit within a broader redefinition of the accounting profession. Many finance professionals increasingly seek roles aligned to purpose, social impact, environmental sustainability, and personal autonomy, underscoring the expanding role of accounting as a gateway to entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
“The drive towards entrepreneurship is especially evident among younger finance professionals. They see accountancy as more than a technical discipline; it is a launchpad for innovation, independence, and impact,” said Jamie Lyon, global head of skills, sectors, and technology at the ACCA. “While there remains more progress to be made to achieve parity, the direction of travel is clear. The profession is helping to unlock entrepreneurial potential at scale.”
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Tags: ACCA, accountants, Accounting, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, women
