Female Entrepreneurship in Latin America Is Growing Strongly in the Digital Sphere, but Faces New Risks ⋆ The Costa Rica News

Female entrepreneurship continues to grow in Latin America and the Caribbean, where more and more women are opting for digital business models, driven by flexibility and access to new platforms.

However, this growth also brings challenges related to financing, technological training, and cybersecurity.

This is according to the study “Empowerment for All: Supporting Women Entrepreneurs,” conducted by Mastercard, which indicates that 75% of women in the region have considered starting a business.

The study also shows a change in the way women are entrepreneurs.

More and more are opting for completely digital businesses, such as freelance work, content creation, or trading on online platforms.

According to the LAC Consumer Trends 2026 report, more than 46 million people in the region work as independent contractors, while the so-called creator economy could exceed $98 billion by 2033, driven by flexible income models and multiple sources of work.

For many women, this type of entrepreneurship reduces barriers to entry and makes it easier to balance business with other responsibilities.

However, structural obstacles remain, such as childcare, which is cited as the biggest challenge by 39% of women entrepreneurs.

The study also highlights that access to financing remains the main barrier to transforming entrepreneurial intent into sustainable businesses.

Added to this is the lack of training in technology and business management.

Furthermore, digital growth exposes businesses to new risks, and today, many women-led companies rely on social media to sell and promote themselves.

“Fraud, cyberattacks, or the loss of an account can immediately disrupt revenue and damage years of work,” warned María Barreiros, senior vice president of

Mastercard Commercial Products and Solutions for SMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean.

For the executive, supporting women-led SMEs requires concrete action: “Supporting women-led SMEs requires going beyond inspiration. It requires tools that drive digitization, strengthen their financial health, and protect what they are building as they scale.”

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