Women entrepreneurs are growing and becoming major contributors to the economy all over the globe. They have hands in almost every industry and are the flagbearers of change. Many successful female entrepreneurs have completely shattered the glass ceiling and have created a new benchmark for success. For emerging female entrepreneurs, the scope and opportunities are endless. Here, we have compiled the list of the top 10 women entrepreneurs in the world to give you some inspiration!
Female Entrepreneurs in the World Statistics
Here are some interesting stats that reflect the state of female entrepreneurship in the world as of now.
- 43% of all global entrepreneurs are females.
- The average age of female entrepreneurs is between 40 and 59 years old.
- More than 35% of women entrepreneurs have dealt with gender bias directly.
- More than 252 million entrepreneurs in the world are women.
- 49% of all businesses opened between 2020 and 2021 are owned by women.

Check out the list of the top 10 women entrepreneurs in the world in 2024 below. These women are sure to inspire and motivate you with their captivating journeys.
1. Diane Hendricks
Diane Marie Hendricks was born in 1947 and is among the most popular American businesswomen. She founded ABC Supply in 1982 with her husband. Diane Hendricks was influential in growing the business and opened more than 900 branches. She is a billionaire and also a Hollywood film producer.

Diane Hendricks Biography
Date of Birth: 1947
Place of Birth: Wisconsin, U.S.
Company: ABC Supply
Industry: Roofing and Building Materials
Net Worth: $21 Billion
2. Judy Faulkner
Judy Faulkner is the founder and CEO of Epic Systems. It is a healthcare software company that contains data on more than 78% of patients in the USA. Faulkner started her business in 1979 and by 2013, she became the “most powerful woman in healthcare” as stated by Forbes.

Judy Faulkner Biography
Date of Birth: August 11, 1943
Place of Birth: American
Company: Epic Systems
Industry: IT, Health IT
Net Worth: $7.4 Billion
3. Thai Lee
Thai Lee is the president and CEO of SHI International. Lee was born in 1958 and was the first woman in Korea to graduate from Harvard Business School. Today, Thai Lee is the 5th wealthiest self-made woman in the world. Her enterprise is the largest female-owned business in the USA, and she continues to grow it further with brilliant strategies.

Thai Lee Biography
Date of Birth: 1958
Place of Birth: Bangkok, Thailand
Company: SHI International
Industry: B2B, IT
Net Worth: $5.3 Billion
4. Melanie Perkins
Melanie Perkins is the co-founder and CEO of the popular design app Canva. She is from Australia and is known for being the youngest female entrepreneur whose company has an evaluation of 1 billion Australian dollars. The idea behind her business was to make the process of designing easier and she has succeeded in it greatly.

Melanie Perkins Biography
Date of Birth: May 13, 1987
Place of Birth: Perth, Western Australia
Company: Canva
Industry: Graphic Design, Software
Net Worth: $3.6 Billion
5. Falguni Nayar
Falguni Sanjay Nayar is the founder and CEO of beauty and lifestyle app Nykaa. She started the business in her 50s after leaving her high-paying job. Nykaa became India’s first unicorn start-up owned by a woman. Today, Nayar is one of the wealthiest women entrepreneurs in India and is a force to be reckoned with in the beauty and retail industry.

Falguni Nayar Biography
Date of Birth: 19 February 1963
Company: Nykaa
Net Worth: $3.2 Billion
Place of Birth: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Industry: E-commerce, Cosmetics, Retail
6. Oprah Winfrey
Simply known as Oprah, she is one of the most popular television personalities in the world. She has been through many struggles and juggles many hats as an American talk show host, actress, television producer, author, and media proprietor. She is the CEO and COO of Oprah Winfrey Network and is known as the “Queen of All Media.” Winfrey is the richest African-American personality of the 20th century.

Oprah Winfrey Biography
Date of Birth: January 29, 1954
Place of Birth: Kosciusko, Mississippi, U.S
Company: Oprah Winfrey Network
Industry: TV and Digital Media
Net Worth: $2.6 Billion
7. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is one of the pioneering figures in the biotechnology industry. She is the executive chairperson and co-founder of Biocon Limited and Biocon Biologics Limited. She is one of the top business leaders in the world and has made a name for herself with her intelligence and dedication.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw Biography
Date of Birth: 23 March 1953
Place of Birth: Bangalore, Mysore State, India
Company: Biocon
Industry: Biotechnology
Net Worth: $2.7 Billion
8. Safra Catz
Safra Ada Catz has been the CEO of Oracle since September 2014. She started as an executive and then went on to become the CFO and finally CEO of the company. Safra Catz is one of the most inspiring women in technology and business. Her growth is a fine example of what continuous hard work and dedication can achieve.

Safra Ada Catz Biography
Date of Birth: December 1, 1961
Place of Birth: Holon, Israel
Company: Oracle
Industry: Software, Computing, Consulting
Net Worth: $1.7 Billion
9. Tory Burch
Tory Burch is the Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of Tory Burch LLC. She founded the brand in 2004 and it is one of the largest fashion labels for women seeking mid-luxury items. Before starting her venture, Burch also worked in fashion magazines. Today, she is one of the 100 most powerful women in the world.

Tory Burch Biography
Date of Birth: June 17, 1966
Place of Birth: Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Company: Tory Burch
Industry: Fashion
Net Worth: $1.2 Billion
10. Sara Blakely
Sara Treleaven Blakely is the founder of the popular intimate apparel company Spanx. She worked in sales. However, after facing difficulties with her pantyhose, set out to develop her hosiery idea. Sara Blakely researched and pitched her idea to many distributors, only to fail many times. However, she persisted and became one of the most powerful entrepreneurs with a profitable enterprise.

Sara Blakely Biography
Date of Birth: February 27, 1971
Place of Birth: Clearwater, Florida, U.S.
Company: Spanx
Industry: Apparel
Net Worth: $1.1 Billion
Key Takeaways
Women entrepreneurs have certainly created a space for themselves in the world of business. However, there is still a long way to go. There is space for more women and there are many opportunities. So, don’t be shy and get ready to take the world by storm! And in case you need motivation, we hope this list of the top 10 women entrepreneurs in the world in 2024 inspired you as much as it inspired us!