Women working in finance and accountancy sectors are showing stronger interest in starting their own businesses, according to initial results from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants’ (ACCA) Global talent trends 2026 study.

Preliminary data indicates that 48% of women in the profession now say they want to become entrepreneurs. This is up from 45% in the previous year’s survey.

The figures are drawn from the ACCA’s global poll of more than 11,000 finance professionals across 175 markets.

The full Global talent trends 2026 report is expected to be released in May 2026.

Early insights suggest more women view their technical training in finance and accountancy as a platform for business ownership.

Men still report higher levels of entrepreneurial intent overall, but the reported gap is narrowing.

Younger women appear to be at the forefront of this shift.

Among female respondents from Generation Z and Millennial cohorts, around half said they hope to become entrepreneurs in the future.

This pattern is described as reflecting a generational appetite for greater autonomy, influence and financial self-reliance in career choices.

ACCA chief executive Helen Brand said: “The number of women aspiring to business ownership is an encouraging signal that finance and accountancy skills are equipping women not only to lead within organisations but to build enterprises of their own.”

According to the emerging Global talent trends 2026 data, many respondents see an accountancy background as a strong stepping stone towards entrepreneurship.

More than half of all surveyed professionals indicated that their finance skills are valuable for starting and running a business.

The survey also points to particularly strong entrepreneurial ambitions in emerging economies, where starting a business is often regarded as a route to improved livelihoods and broader social outcomes.