The Women-Led High Growth Taskforce is calling on investment firms to increase the number of senior women investment professionals they hire so that female entrepreneurs don’t continue to lose out on funding.

The Taskforce, led by Starling Bank founder Anne Boden, has also urged investors to disclose the percentage of women investment professionals they employ and set ambitious targets to boost funding for women setting up high-growth businesses.

Additionally, it said that investment companies should sign up to the Investing in Women Code, where signatories are more likely back female-led companies.

According to the Taskforce, while investment firms with a higher proportion of women are more likely to back female entrepreneurs, women only account for 11 per cent of senior investment professionals.

With the UK likely to be at the forefront of technological advances like GenAI and deep learning, it added, this will provide more opportunities for women to lead high growth ventures.

“Women have the unique skills, aptitude and interests that will put UK PLC out in front, especially given the developments in natural language interfaces offered by GenAI," said Anne Boden, Taskforce chair. "As we sit on the cusp of the fifth industrial revolution, there is an opportunity to tackle societal issues where women have an excellent track record of innovation and disruption."

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