What will It take to level the playing field for women entrepreneurs? Daniela BehrYue Sophie Xi February 17, 2026 This page in: English © 2026 The World Bank Group,

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/developmenttalk/what-will-it-take-to-level-the-playing-field-for-women-entrepren Women own about one-third of businesses worldwide, yet, in several economies and sectors, women-led firms are virtually absent (Figure 1). The result is trillions in economic potential left untapped. A new paper, Closing the Gender Gap in Entrepreneurship, reveals that the barriers women entrepreneurs face are deeply interconnected and cannot be solved with isolated fixes, demanding coordinated, system-wide solutions. © 2026 The World Bank Group,