The traditional gender gap between would-be entrepreneurs is closing, a new study suggests.
Research from the business education charity businessdynamics reveals that 51% of female students aged 14 to 19 years old say they want to start their own business, compared to 55% of their male counterparts.
Last year's survey showed a 20% divide, with just 35% of females expressing a desire to become an entrepreneur compared to 55% of males.
JK Rowling, Charlotte Church and other successful women have inspired many new female students to consider entrepreneurship, the survey shows.
"Successful economies need new businesses, and we are delighted by the research findings," said Sir Paul Judge, chairman of businessdynamics.
"However, encouraging young people to want to be more entrepreneurial is just the first step. Giving them the skills and knowledge to make it a reality is the key to our future economic success."
In another break with tradition, for the first time the charity's survey found that an overall majority of the students polled wanted to be entrepreneurs.
Despite recognising that there are many barriers to entrepreneurship, 53% said they would like to start their own business, expressing interest in a wide variety of commerce, from record labels and modelling agencies to local shops and international firms.
The survey also found that young people shirk the traditional stigma that comes with business failure. An overwhelming 88% said that if a business collapses, the owner should receive support and encouragement to try again.
