Enterprise boards supported more than 16,000 businesswomen last year

More than 16,000 businesswomen were supported by county and city enterprise boards last year.

It represents a rise of about 1,000 on 2011, when just over 15,000 women were encouraged to become entrepreneurs by the enterprise board network.

Women accounted for 55.4% of the 29,828 business owners and managers who received support last year.