Derry shows strong start-up ambition but widening regional and gender gaps.

The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Northern Ireland 2024/25, published by the Department for the Economy and NatWest, reveals a complex picture of entrepreneurial activity in Derry and Strabane a district rich in ambition but still facing deep structural challenges.

Derry and Strabane recorded the highest Total Early-Stage Entrepreneurship (TEA) rate of all Northern Ireland councils at 21.7%, signalling a strong culture of innovation and business creation. Across the region, 10.2% of working-age adults are involved in early-stage entrepreneurship – the highest on record, though still below the UK average of 12%. Young people in Derry are particularly engaged, with 29% of 18–29-year-olds involved in start-up activity – the highest in Northern Ireland.

However, persistent barriers remain. Female entrepreneurship in Derry is the lowest in Northern Ireland, with a TEA rate of just 17.2%. Many ventures are necessity-driven, launched in response to limited job opportunities rather than market opportunity. This points to structural issues in access to finance, business networks, and mentoring support especially for women, graduates, and underrepresented groups.

For Chamber members, the findings underscore a crucial opportunity: to help create an inclusive, innovation-led ecosystem that empowers new founders to scale and succeed. By supporting accelerator programmes, fostering collaboration between business and education, and improving access to funding, the North West can convert ambition into long-term economic growth.

The takeaway:

Derry doesn’t lack entrepreneurial spirit – it needs investment, mentoring, and inclusive support to turn that energy into sustainable, high-value businesses.

Read the full GEM Northern Ireland 2024/25 Report here.