Female Entrepreneurship: Barriers and Recognitions in Spain
A study by Mastercard and ASEME reveals that nearly half of Spaniards perceive disadvantages for women in entrepreneurship.
By Airam Cabrera Suárez
••3 min read
IA
Generic image of two people shaking hands in an office setting, symbolizing a business agreement or collaboration.
A recent study by Mastercard and the Spanish Association of Businesswomen (ASEME) has revealed that 45.7% of Spaniards believe women face disadvantages when starting businesses, a perception that is more pronounced among women themselves.
The 1st edition of the MasterWomen Awards, promoted by Mastercard in collaboration with ASEME, served as the setting for the presentation of a comprehensive analysis of entrepreneurship in Spain. This study highlights that almost half of the Spanish population, 45.7%, believes that women start with a disadvantage when launching and developing a business. This figure rises to 58.3% when women are directly surveyed, compared to 33.1% of men.
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"Women entrepreneurs are key drivers of growth, innovation, and social change, and ensuring they have access to the right tools and opportunities is essential for their success in today's digital economy. Our report indicates that significant barriers still exist for women entrepreneurs starting their own small businesses. That is why it is so important to highlight their achievements and support them at every stage of their journey."
Among the main barriers identified, the reconciliation of professional and family life stands out as the biggest obstacle, pointed out by 59% of respondents and 67.7% of women. Gender prejudices in the business sphere (35.1%) and bureaucratic complexity (30%) also appear as significant challenges. Despite these difficulties, 78.9% of Spaniards recognize the relevance of women's role in economic and social development.
The study also addresses the lack of institutional support, with over 40% of respondents negatively evaluating public aid for entrepreneurship. To reverse this situation, more flexible reconciliation policies (57.8%), simplification of procedures (48.7%), and specific subsidies (42.3% of women) are proposed. External financing is another critical point, with 76.5% of entrepreneurs needing it and 81.9% finding difficulties in obtaining it, with this difficulty being more pronounced for women (84.9%).
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"The data we have today is conclusive and shows a structural reality: companies founded exclusively by women receive only a fraction of the venture capital invested in Europe—approximately 2% or less of total venture capital funding—despite the fact that female entrepreneurial activity continues to grow. This gap not only limits the potential of our businesswomen but also represents a huge lost opportunity for the economy as a whole."
Within the framework of the MasterWomen Awards, the work of three outstanding entrepreneurs has been recognized: Sara Sorribes, CEO of Vidrio Sorribes in Valencia; María Castro Molera, director of El Milagrito Industrias Químicas S.L in Dos Hermanas, Seville; and Yukonda Esparragoza, CEO of Lavandería Romeral in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Mastercard has awarded €6,000 to the winner and €3,000 to each finalist to boost the digitalization of their businesses.
