SMALL BUSINESS

Backing Businesswomen: The California American Women’s Economic Development Corp. has opened an office in Irvine. Why?

Because Orange County has the third-largest number of women-owned businesses in the country, says the nonprofit organization, citing a report from the U.S. Census Bureau.

“With the changing economic environment, Orange County is rapidly gaining momentum as one of the leading areas in the nation for women-owned businesses,” said Linda Harasin, program director at the California organization’s new office.

Indeed, private researcher Inside Prospects estimates that 19.1% of all Orange County businesses, or about 18,500 firms, are owned by women. That is up from about 12% in 1991, according to Inside Prospects.

The California women’s group says it has provided training, counseling and technical support to more than 8,000 female entrepreneurs in California since 1991, when its first office opened in Long Beach. The new Irvine office is staffed by three people, and its program will kick off in late June.