Gender split in UK start-up community with 82% of founders male

There is an ongoing gender divide in the start-up community with just 17% of respondents to Forward Partners’ first annual Startup Salary Survey identifying as female, compared to 82% male.

The survey of 356 individuals across a range of functions, levels and funding stages found that chief-level female executives earn 29% less than their male counterparts (£56,250 to £39,600), while male founders award themselves salaries on average 100% higher than women in similar fields at £31,250 to £15,030.

However, women saw their salary increase by 10% compared to just 2% for men and female directors and heads earn more than their male counterparts at £85,000 to £50,000 and £60,000 to £55,000 respectively.

Overall, salaries across the start-up ecosystem saw a marginal increase of 4% from £48,000 to £50,000, while bonuses jumped by 50% in 2016 to an average of £15,000.

Strategists were found to have the highest average salary of £76,000, followed by financiers (£75,000) and general managers (£70,000). Operations earned the least at £38,000. Salary also increased steadily with age: those aged between 45 and 54 earned the most on average (£117,500), while those between 20 and 24 earned the least (£25,000).

Bootstrapped businesses had the highest average happiness at 8.4 out of 10, with companies at Series A the least happy (7.8), while CEO founder was found to be the happiest function at 8.8% and insight and analysis the least (5).

Of all respondents, just 8% had an MBA education, with most holding a BA level degree, while the average age was 42 and the average tie spent in a role was one to three years.