A March 2024 report, Neurodiverse Founders, highlights a clear message: neurodivergent entrepreneurs bring real strengths to business, but many still face discrimination, misunderstanding, and pressure to mask at work.
What the research looked at
The report is based on polling of 502 UK founders who have been diagnosed as neurodiverse, conducted between 29 December 2023 and 9 January 2024.
The key findings, in plain terms
1) Discrimination is widespread
Only 4% of founders said they never experience discrimination linked to neurodiversity, while 48% said they face it “always” or “regularly”.
Alongside this, 78% said they have hidden their neurodiversity in business situations.
2) Entrepreneurship can be a route to economic survival
Two findings underline how traditional employment can fail neurodivergent people:
3) Neurodivergence is often seen as a business advantage
Despite the barriers, 67% agreed their neurodiversity makes them a better business person.
Founders reported that neurodiversity often makes tasks like creative thinking easier overall, while concentration was the only task where more founders said it was harder than easier.
4) Progress is happening, but not evenly
Encouragingly, 61% believed it has become easier for neurodiverse people to succeed in business compared with when they started.
However, perceptions of understanding and representation are mixed: 48% felt there is adequate understanding of neurodiversity in the business community, while 35% disagreed.
Voices from founders: why environment matters
The report includes short case studies that bring the data to life. One founder describes autism as a key reason for choosing entrepreneurship, largely due to the need for control over working conditions and space for deep curiosity.
Another founder highlights barriers in “traditional” work settings—such as hiring practices, sensory overload, commuting, and rigid progression pathways—and explains how entrepreneurship can offer a more workable model.
Practical advice that neurodiverse founders endorse
When asked what advice they would give to neurodivergent people considering entrepreneurship, the most supported options were:
The bottom line
Neurodiverse Founders makes a balanced case: neurodivergent people are building businesses that innovate and grow, but many do so while navigating discrimination and a lack of reliable support. The report’s strongest contribution is showing that a pro-entrepreneurship environment can also be a pro-neurodiversity environment—because for many founders, entrepreneurship is not just a preference, but a practical route to inclusion and work.
Full report: