The Best US Cities for Female Entrepreneurs

Over the past few decades, business leadership largely remained in the domain of men. But today, we are in the midst of a powerful and exciting shift, as women are not only beginning to take their seat at the table, but are also pioneering their own business ventures. And if you're looking to do the same but are unsure of where to begin, we've rounded up some of the best cities for female entrepreneurs in America.

Tampa Bay, Florida

We might just be biased for The Big Guava, but Tampa Bay has been hailed as the top city for women entrepreneurs in the country. While the city definitely has a great local economy and beautiful high-rise office blocks, what makes it special for female business leaders is its sense of community. Although competition can be helpful for companies, female entrepreneurs should be building each other up — and this is exactly what the female leadership community here at Tampa Bay does. Women leaders have created a space where they can easily network and collaborate, opening many doors to funding and mentoring opportunities.

New York, New York

Home to Wall Street and the headquarters of the biggest companies in the world, the Big Apple is synonymous with entrepreneurship and limitless opportunity. More recently, New York City is also making a name for itself as a fantastic city for female entrepreneurs, as Forbes reports that the city government and venture capital partners have invested $30 million for the funding of female-founded companies. Moreover, since it's one of the world's leading financial cities, women have more access to retail spaces, media connections, and networking opportunities. Plus, it's also a great place to work hard and play hard, with studios like WTHN and Modrn Sanctuary dedicated to some rest and relaxation after long days of building and running one's own business.

Chicago, Illinois

Did you know that one-third of Chicago's startups are run by women? With women-led companies like PartySlate and InvestHer, the females in the Windy City have built an impressive ecosystem of their own, which creates connections, mentorship, knowledge, and even better funding. One manifestation of the city’s thriving startup scene is the rise of coworking spaces in key areas of the city, where entrepreneurs can plan, network, and grow their teams. Industrious identifies Chicago's West Loop and Gold Coast areas as some of the most exciting, with coworking spaces scattered across the city’s business districts. These provide an inspiring entrepreneurial environment that helps boost teams from the ground up. Not to mention, it has the highest concentration of women-led startups from all the major American cities, which makes it a prime place for women who are seeking to set up shop.

St. Louis, Missouri

Meanwhile, St. Louis currently holds the record for the most women-owned startups in the country. A study conducted by Seek Capital has found that the Gateway City is home to 2,726 female-founded startups — most of which are found in the healthcare and social assistance sectors. St. Louis is no stranger to female leadership in business, as one of the city's biggest healthcare service providers, MTM, was founded by women: Lynn and Peg Griswold. Now, it's the startup scene's time to shine. With 45.2% of startups in St. Louis owned by women, Wellth Holdings' founder Laura Burkemper, Xeo Air's founder Bronwyn Morgan, and Cortex's VP Phyllis explained that the Gateway City has developed an infrastructure where businesses can thrive in all the different stages of growth.

Austin, Texas

What do social dating app Bumble and jewelry brand Kendra Scott have in common? Aside from being valued at $1 billion each, they're also founded by women in Austin, Texas. The second leading city in terms of women-owned startups, the Violet Crown City proudly boasts 1,433 female-owned companies, which comprise 32.7% of its startups. And just like St. Louis, healthcare and social assistance is a highly active industry here, while real estate and technology are booming here as well. The city's large population of skilled talent means that there's plenty of room for innovation, while Austin's entrepreneurs are also big on running their companies with an emphasis on work-life balance.