Statistical analysis of female entrepreneurship in Romania: trends, sectoral success and systemic constraints (2015–2025)

Abstract

This report provides a detailed analysis of the trajectory of female entrepreneurship in Romania over the decade spanning 2015 to the beginning of 2025, utilizing data primarily sourced from the National Trade Register Office (ONRC) and specialized market analyses by Keys Fin. The period under review demonstrates robust structural growth in the participation of women in the business sector, punctuated by recent significant volatility linked to macroeconomic pressures. The involvement of women as shareholders or associates has consistently grown, peaking in 2022 at nearly 600,000 individuals. As of January 2024, the number of women registered in these roles reached 609,470, constituting 36.5% of the total associates and shareholders in Romania. However, this growth narrative was temporarily disrupted in 2023 by a severe contraction of 17.16% in the number of active women involved in business, falling to 493,518. This disproportionate sensitivity to economic shock highlights the high concentration of female-led firms in vulnerable micro-enterprise structures. In terms of economic domains, female entrepreneurial activity is heavily concentrated in the Retail Trade (CAEN G), Professional Services (CAEN M, specifically consulting and accounting), and the personal Services sector (CAEN S, including health and beauty). A critical metric of success reveals that firms entirely owned by women exhibit a net profit rate that is almost double the market average. This financial efficiency, however, often exists within companies that prefer stability and organic growth, rather than scaling aggressively, as evidenced by the structural reality that 94% of these enterprises remain micro-enterprises. Systemic barriers, including pronounced risk aversion (cited by 70.8% of female founders) and a persistent gap in access to high-growth equity funding, constrain the transition of necessity-driven enterprises (78% of new female-led businesses) into scalable, innovation-focused ventures. Strategic policy intervention, particularly in mandatory digital transformation and efficient grant disbursement, is essential to realize the full economic potential of these highly efficient businesses.