Every third Ukrainian business is led by a woman

In the IT sector, traditionally dominated by men, women are increasingly taking leadership roles in new companies. Over the past year, the number of new companies with female directors has risen by 69%. The number of women leading businesses in agriculture has grown by 25%, while in construction, it has increased by 17%.

Overall, women now head around 449,000 Ukrainian businesses—nearly one in three companies. Since the start of the full-scale war, the share of female directors has been steadily rising.

Currently, women hold the majority of leadership positions in the following sectors:

• Education — 70% of companies are led by women
• Public administration, defense, and social security — 58%
• Creative industries, arts, and entertainment — 58%
• Tourism — 57%

The highest share of female-led businesses is in frontline regions: 37% of companies in Donetsk, 35% in Kherson, and 34% in Luhansk. There has also been a significant increase in female directors in other regions: Poltava — +24%, Khmelnytskyi — +18%, Kyiv region — +11%.