Peru is the country with the most young entrepreneurs in Latin America

Peru ranks first in the ranking of young entrepreneurs between 18 and 34 years old in Latin America, with a representation of 54.3% in the first half of this year; that is, 14.49% above the regional average and 3.6% more compared to the same period last year, according to Alegra, the electronic accounting and invoicing software for entrepreneurs. It is followed by Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica, with a representation of 41.8%, 38.7% and 35%, respectively.

“These data are linked to the high levels of unemployment and underemployment in the region and the country. According to the latest data from the Institute of Economics and Business Development (IEDEP) of the Lima Chamber of Commerce (CCL) The population of young Peruvians between 15 and 29 years old who neither study nor work increased to more than one and a half million during 2023. The lack of stable and well-paid job opportunities drives many of them to look for alternatives in entrepreneurship. This trend reflects not only an economic need, but also a cultural change where young people seek greater autonomy and control over their professional future,” says Miguel Hervas, Country Manager of Alegra in Peru.

Continuing with the age distribution of entrepreneurs, Peru remains the country with the lowest percentage of entrepreneurs over 65 years of age in Latin America, with only 4.5% participation, a figure that is 5.6% lower than the regional average and 0.5% less than the same period in 2023.

Nevertheless, Our country has the largest number of microenterprises in the region, with a representation of 91.38%. Colombia follows with 90.46%, Argentina with 83.8% and Panama with 79.6%. Hervas emphasizes that microenterprises play a crucial role in the Peruvian economy, providing employment and livelihood to a large part of the population, although they also face significant challenges in terms of access to financing, formalization and sustainable growth.

More than half of Peruvian businesses are led by women

Female entrepreneurship continues to predominate with a representation of 55.7%, which shows a moderate but constant growth. In this line, an increase of 1.5% is revealed compared to the same period in 2023.

This progress underlines the growing participation of women in the entrepreneurial field, reflecting greater inclusion and recognition of their potential in the economy. However, it is also a direct response to the high percentage of women within the group of young people who neither work nor study (58.5%), marking a difference of 17 percentage points compared to men.