Kildare ranks top 5 in Ireland for number of business women

New data has revealed that Kildare has ranked fifth-best in Ireland for the county with the most female entrepreneurs, ahead of International Women's Day 2025.

Procure.ie, Ireland’s leading business utility consultants, has analysed thousands of LinkedIn profiles across Ireland to find out how many female business founders are in each county.

The study says that more and more women are starting businesses across Ireland, with some counties leading the way.

While there are still areas that need improvement, the data shows that Ireland has made great progress in helping more female entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life and become successful.

Below are the top five counties with the most female entrepreneurs in Ireland:

Cork
Dublin
Galway
Wicklow
Kildare

Kildare has ranked fifth in the study with 132 female business founders currently based in the county.

With 53 female entrepreneurs per 100,000 people, Kildare is successful, according to the study, because the county benefits from Dublin's resources while providing a quieter business environment.

Earlier this year, on January 30 2025, over 180 female entrepreneurs joined together at Kilkea Castle in Kildare for an annual Women in Business event led by Kildare County Council’s Local Enterprise Office.

This Women in Business luncheon, was a celebration of leadership, resilience, and innovation, featuring the inspirational story of Sarah de Lagarde.
The event also launched the She Succeeds programme of events for Kildare’s Women in Business for 2025.

Female entrepreneurs are encouraged in on the She Succeeds programme of events by registering online via www.localenterprise.ie/Kildare

Cork has ranked first in Ireland, with 360 female entrepreneurs in the county.

Cork offers great support, including the Exxcel programme, which helps women start and grow their businesses, according to the study.

With a population of 584,156, Cork city has 62 female entrepreneurs per 100,000 people and is home to successful companies like The Good Dairy Company.

Dublin follows in second place with 303 female founders and a larger population of 1,458,154, making it the country’s business hub. While it has a lower concentration of female entrepreneurs per capita (21 per 100,000 people), it remains an attractive location due to its well-established ecosystem, featuring coworking spaces, networking events, and investor access, and is home to well-known brands like Sculpted by Aimee and Atlantic Bridge.

Galway ranks third with 161 female founders and a population of 277,737. It has a much higher concentration of female entrepreneurs, with 58 per 100,000 people.

The city offers strong community programs like The Women in Business Network, creating a supportive environment where women can bring their dreams to life.

Wicklow ranks fourth with 133 female founders and the highest concentration in Ireland (85 per 100,000 people), offering a great work-life balance.

The study can be found at the link here.

The counties with the fewest female entrepreneurs are Carlow, Cavan, Roscommon, Longford, and Leitrim.

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Carlow has 23 female founders and a population of 61,968, giving it a rate of 37 female entrepreneurs per 100,000 people.

The highest among the lowest-ranked counties.

Cavan and Roscommon both have 21 female entrepreneurs per 100,000 people, with 17 and 15 female founders, respectively.

Longford, with 12 female founders, has a slightly higher rate at 26 per 100,000 people.

Leitrim ranks the lowest, with just 6 female founders and 17 per 100,000 people.

For more information visit: https://www.procure.ie/best-counties-female-entrepreneurs/