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

Chief-level female executives earn 29% less than men, while male founders pay themselves average salaries 100% higher than women

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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 (ÂŁ56,250 to ÂŁ39,600), while male founders award themselves salaries on average 100% higher than women in similar fields at ÂŁ31,250 to ÂŁ15,030.

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 ÂŁ85,000 to ÂŁ50,000 and ÂŁ60,000 to ÂŁ55,000 respectively.

Overall, salaries across the start-up ecosystem saw a marginal increase of 4% from ÂŁ48,000 to ÂŁ50,000, while bonuses jumped by 50% in 2016 to an average of ÂŁ15,000.

Strategists were found to have the highest average salary of ÂŁ76,000, followed by financiers (ÂŁ75,000) and general managers (ÂŁ70,000). Operations earned the least at ÂŁ38,000. Salary also increased steadily with age: those aged between 45 and 54 earned the most on average (ÂŁ117,500), while those between 20 and 24 earned the least (ÂŁ25,000).

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.

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