Women’s representation in senior leadership across the UK biotechnology sector has largely stagnated despite modest gains at the chief executive level, according to the latest report by the BioIndustry Association (BIA).

The report, Women in Biotech Leadership: One Year On, now in its second year, analyses industry data to evaluate progress in gender diversity across the sector. Combining insights from PitchBook with broader industry research, the study tracks representation across C-suite roles, examines capital flows to female-led companies and evaluates structural barriers affecting women in biotech leadership.

The findings highlight a sharply divided landscape for women leaders in the UK biotech ecosystem. While a few female-led companies secured some of the largest venture capital rounds in 2025, broader leadership representation across the industry has seen little meaningful improvement.

According to the report, women now hold 18.7 percent of CEO positions in UK biotech firms, representing a marginal increase of just 0.4 percentage points from the previous year. Despite appearing positive on the surface, the data indicates that progress has effectively plateaued.

A similar trend is visible in funding patterns. Female-led biotech companies collectively accounted for 15 percent of total capital raised in the sector in 2025, a notable increase from 8 percent in 2024. However, the report notes that this growth is largely concentrated among a handful of major deals. When the three largest Series A investments are excluded, women’s share of capital raised drops sharply to just 6 percent , highlighting a persistent imbalance in access to funding.

Among the standout performers were female-led biotech companies such as Draig Therapeutics, T?Therapeutics and Elevara, which secured some of the largest private funding rounds during the year. These successes demonstrate that female-led ventures can attract significant investor backing even in challenging market conditions.

The report also highlights that women remain significantly underrepresented in technical leadership roles. Female representation stands at just 14 percent among Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) and 20 percent among Chief Strategy Officers (CSOs), making these positions the least diverse within the C-suite.

Beyond structural barriers, the report warns that emerging political narratives around diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) could further slow progress in gender representation and global health initiatives within the biotech sector.

Jane Wall, Managing Director at the BIA, said that although female-led companies have continued to deliver strong scientific innovation and attract high-conviction investment, overall industry progress remains limited. She noted that while the success of certain high-profile funding rounds demonstrates the strength of female leadership, the broader system still fails to translate this capability into widespread representation across the sector.

Anne Horgan, Partner at Cambridge Innovation Capital, said the report provides valuable insight into long-term leadership trends in biotech. She highlighted that female CEOs managed to secure a greater share of industry capital even as overall venture investment in UK biotech declined by more than 13 percent during the year.

However, she emphasised that while individual success stories highlight the strength of women-led scientific innovation, funding remains concentrated among a limited number of companies, pointing to the need for broader structural change across the industry.

The BIA, which represents more than 600 organisations across the UK life sciences ecosystem, continues to advocate for stronger collaboration and systemic reforms aimed at improving leadership diversity and enabling the sector to fully realise its innovation potential.