Periodic Reporting for period 2 - Womenture (Boosting female entrepreneurship through joint services and activities)
Période du rapport: 2024-02-15 au 2025-01-14
Womenture is a 24-month EU-funded project aimed at enhancing innovation agencies and accelerators to promote female entrepreneurship. Four partners - Design Terminal (Hungary), DEX Innovation Centre (Czech Republic), SpinLab - The HHL Accelerator (Germany), and Tehnopol Science and Business Park (Estonia) - collaborate in the consortium. The project aligns with the European Commission's objective to create inclusive and efficient innovation ecosystems across Europe. Its goal is to empower innovation agencies and accelerators to introduce new joint services and activities to support female entrepreneurship and women innovation. The project connects innovation agencies and accelerators from various regions to support women innovators, foster an entrepreneurial mindset, and facilitate collaboration. Through activities such as co-creation, capacity building, and the creation of innovation ecosystem hubs, Womenture aims to strengthen connections, enhance the capacity of ecosystem actors, and increase the involvement of women innovators in economic development initiatives.
To achieve the core goal, the following specific objectives have been set:
SO1: Enhance connectedness and inclusivity between initiatives, networks, startups and innovation actors.
SO2: Encourage female entrepreneurship and improve general entrepreneurial mindset and skills.
S03: Empower ecosystem builders (incubators & accelerators) and facilitate the transfer of their skills, expertise and knowledge.
To achieve the core goal, the following specific objectives have been set:
SO1: Enhance connectedness and inclusivity between initiatives, networks, startups and innovation actors.
SO2: Encourage female entrepreneurship and improve general entrepreneurial mindset and skills.
S03: Empower ecosystem builders (incubators & accelerators) and facilitate the transfer of their skills, expertise and knowledge.
Over 24 months, Womenture successfully built a well-connected, knowledge-driven ecosystem, bringing together key stakeholders to support female entrepreneurs. The project hosted 15 networking events, engaging 887 stakeholders, including 86 speakers and mentors across Europe.
To establish a strong foundation, the Ambassador Programme recruited 19 role models in its first year, while 26 policymakers were engaged to align innovation initiatives with national strategies. A major milestone was the Joint Innovation Ecosystem Summit (M17) in Tallinn, attracting 86 participants, including investors, policymakers, and innovators.
The Pre-Acceleration Programme selected 20 female-led startups from 247 applicants (39 countries), delivering 107 hours of mentoring and training. Additionally, 74 bilateral matchmaking meetings provided a platform for knowledge exchange and joint service development. Womenture’s digital presence extended its impact, with 4,200 Facebook followers, 972 LinkedIn followers, and 483 Instagram followers, reaching 20,021 website visitors.
What sets Womenture apart is its dynamic and collaborative approach, fostering strong partnerships, knowledge-sharing, and a thriving international hub. These connections will continue beyond the project, ensuring sustained collaboration and future opportunities for female entrepreneurs.
To establish a strong foundation, the Ambassador Programme recruited 19 role models in its first year, while 26 policymakers were engaged to align innovation initiatives with national strategies. A major milestone was the Joint Innovation Ecosystem Summit (M17) in Tallinn, attracting 86 participants, including investors, policymakers, and innovators.
The Pre-Acceleration Programme selected 20 female-led startups from 247 applicants (39 countries), delivering 107 hours of mentoring and training. Additionally, 74 bilateral matchmaking meetings provided a platform for knowledge exchange and joint service development. Womenture’s digital presence extended its impact, with 4,200 Facebook followers, 972 LinkedIn followers, and 483 Instagram followers, reaching 20,021 website visitors.
What sets Womenture apart is its dynamic and collaborative approach, fostering strong partnerships, knowledge-sharing, and a thriving international hub. These connections will continue beyond the project, ensuring sustained collaboration and future opportunities for female entrepreneurs.
Womenture aimed to enhance connectivity among female-founded startups and their supporting ecosystem. Key achievements include onboarding startups from 13 European countries, offering diverse training of 107 hours and 15 networking opportunities, matchmakig services to foster grassroots-level communities. Womenture also measured impact in social, economic, and gender equality dimensions. Socially, over 887 individuals were actively connected through Womenture's platforms, with regular sharing of opportunities and capacity building, inspirational events, elevating startups' visibility. Collaboration among experienced female entrepreneurs and startups aims to improve the perception of female entrepreneurs among investors and market players.
Project results:
4 inspirational get-together events
Business support programme service plan focusing on female entrepreneurs
Capacity building framework and activities
Co-creation workshop with stakeholder involvement
Digital toolbox
Dynamic collaborative consortium methodology to unleash the potential of qualified personnel
15 Networking events, broadening the Innovation Ecosystem Hub
Joint Innovation Ecosystem Summit (Female Founders Summit)
Methodology for capacity building
Policy recommendation workshops
Project results:
4 inspirational get-together events
Business support programme service plan focusing on female entrepreneurs
Capacity building framework and activities
Co-creation workshop with stakeholder involvement
Digital toolbox
Dynamic collaborative consortium methodology to unleash the potential of qualified personnel
15 Networking events, broadening the Innovation Ecosystem Hub
Joint Innovation Ecosystem Summit (Female Founders Summit)
Methodology for capacity building
Policy recommendation workshops