Betty Hines, W.E.W. Founder and CEO (she/her) WPO Platinum III Chair’s Post

💡 Insightful speech from Ms. Maria Helena de Felipe Lehtonen, President of AFAEMME -the Federation of Mediterranean Businesswomen Organizations, partner of ASCAME- at today's kick-off of the MID of MED Mediterranean Business Summit in Izmir (Turkey). AFAEMME has also been represented by Ms. Elizabeth Trallero, Former President ENMD, CEO of Congost Plastic, S.A. and Responsible for International Relations at AFAEMME, and Ms. Marta Maiques, Communications Manager at AFAEMME. 📌 These are some of the main takeaways from Mª Helena's intervention at the summit: 🔸 There is the need to talk about "women entrepreneurs" as specificity, because pre-conditions might be different depending on the person's gender. Women entrepreneurs are an important untapped source of economic growth. They create new jobs for themselves and others, and they also provide society with different solutions to management, organisations and business problems as well as to exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities. 🔸 Women are faced with specific obstacles that have to overcome in order to give them access to the same opportunities as men. There are 5 main obstacles: lack of experience -the majority of unskilled or less skilled women entrepreneurs lack the ability to prepare their companies for survival and growth-, lack of role models -by having less women entrepreneurs than men there are automatically less successful women entrepreneurs than men-, lack of capital -women's position in society has led a lack of financial assets which are a prerequisite for starting a firm-, lack of time -due to domestic responsibilities, women do not have enough time to develop their entrepreneurial skills or to develop an existing business- and lack of relevant networks -women are less present in professional networks than men-. 🔸 A natural solution for changing this situation is therefore a mixture of different policies and a change of attitude. Affordable childcare and equal treatment at workplace have to be guaranteed, in addition to educating society about the value of women's entrepreneurship. 🔸 The good news is the increasing examples of women entrepreneurs in recent years: Several women-owned enterprises are well-positioned to enhance- national prosperity and to contribute to economic growth and a better future. #midofmed #Mediterranean #unitedbytheMediterranean #MedConnect #cooperation #greeneconomy #blueeconomy #womenentrepreneurs #Mediterraneanbusinesswomen #shappingthefuture #WeAreASCAME #ASCAME2024

🔴Today is the day 🔴 Today we are celebrating a very important event for women entrepreneurs. The event will consist of two panels, the first focusing on the global scene and the second on the Mediterranean countries. If you're at MWC Barcelona, don't miss them! Especially because we will have very important personalities in this sector: ✨Event ✨ Mediterranean Women Leading the Way Partners: Euthenia Community, 22@Network Barcelona , European Capital Of Democracy #ECoD  🖋️ Panel 1  Barcelona as a Hub for Female Entrepreneurship in the Med 🔴 Topic: #entrepreneurship around the world Eva Diaz  Iolanda Triviño  Lauren O'Neil  Moderator: David Henneberger 🖋️ Panel 2  Funding – What investors should know about Women-led Business in the Med 🔴 Topic: entrepreneurship in the Mediterranean.  Mona Itani, PhD  Ayşegül Şensoy  Nour Boumaiza  (FNF Tunisia) Nabila Moumen 🙌  Moderator: Chaimae Bourjij, (FNF Morocco) 4YFN  #MWC24  #Founders #Investors #Fintech #DigitalHealth #Greentech #Impac

2 days to go to the 2nd edition of the DRC Social Innovation Summit that is set to follow up on the lessons and recommendations of 2022 summit. It will serve as a strategic laboratory for designing a social economy road map towards shifting the economic models, strengthening the social innovation ecosystem and advancing indigenous social enterprises. See you there. #DRCSIS2023 #socents #socialinnovation #ecosystem

🤯 The shift to a low-carbon economy presents a $26 trillion economic opportunity, yet women-led businesses receive only 6.9% of venture dollars in climate tech. 💼 By 2023, an estimated 65 million green jobs will be created, but currently, women are projected to hold only 25% of those positions. 🌱Supporting women entrepreneurs to play a leading role in shaping future green businesses is crucial for ensuring equal benefits in climate action, financing, green jobs, and opportunities. 🚀Basima Abdulrahman, Founder and CEO of KESK, Iraq’s pioneering green tech company, shows the transformative power of women in the green economy and how women's perspectives and experiences can drive creativity and innovation in green sectors. 👉🏼Join the We-Fi webinar tomorrow to hear from Basima Abdulrahman, Delila Khaled, Heidi Hafes, and Samuel Jovan Okullo sharing perspectives on challenges and opportunities for women in climate entrepreneurs. 👉🏼Check out our blog “It’s Time to Unlock the Power of Women Entrepreneurs to Achieve Climate Goals” (link in comments). Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) #WomenEntrepreneurs #ClimateAction #InclusiveGrowth

These are our esteemed partners of this project. E-Commerce4Women is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them. You can follow the organisatons here: Veleučilište PAR VAEV Research and Development Agency KSU | Kazimiero Simonavičiaus universitetas Università Telematica Internazionale UniNettuno #ECommerce4Women #WomeninEcommerce #FemaleEntrepreneurs #EmpoweredWomen #EcommerceQueens #SheMeansBusiness #WomeninTech #BossLady #EcommerceBoss #WomenLeaders #GirlBoss #WomenEmpowerment #EcommerceWomen #WomenEntrepreneurs #WomenCEO #WomenSupportingWomen #EntrepreneurLife #WomenOwnedBusiness #WomenInnovation

For all the latest Innovative industry news, jobs, available grants and upcoming events, the gemaker September Business newsletter is out now! #business #industryinsights #fundingopportunities

🧱 #FemaleEntrepreneurs in #Switzerland face barriers that their male counterparts don't. 💥 That's why we've started #TheInclusiveWayInitiative (TIWI) and #TheBeatFundingBiasInitiative (BFBI) in the beginning of this year. Join us! ➡️ FE+MALE Think Tank

🚀 Last week we launched our first ICR Facility intervention in the Dominican Republic! We are proud to support together with ProDominicana the development of a National Strategy for women in exports. Prodominicana is set to become a regional and global model by championing an innovative and forward looking strategy aimed at boosting the participation of women in exports within priority value chains. 💼♀️ In the ever-evolving landscape of global trade, there is a huge potential for new opportunities for women to participate and reap the benefits of global trade. The growth of service trade, expansion of global value chains, and emergence of digital commerce present avenues for women to engage in trade and entrepreneurship. Services sectors, which employ a higher percentage of women, are growing rapidly, providing more opportunities for women to trade. We are committed to adress gender imbalances in global trade. This is important for the world economy, but it is also is about equity, empowerment, and driving positive change. By championing women's economic participation, we're not only fostering a fairer society but also unlocking incredible potential for growth and innovation. Apply for technical assistance from the ICR Facility by 15th July 2024 ➡ SNV Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH British Council Expertise France #WomenEmpowerment #Equity #EconomicDevelopment #DominicanRepublic

📆 Today I attended the Social Economy Conference organized by Union for the Mediterranean in beautiful Barcelona, Spain, which shed a spotlight on the remarkable role of #SocialEconomy entrepreneurship and the invaluable contribution of #women within this dynamic sector.   💪 #SocialEconomy has shown its #resilience and #inclusivity, even in the face of challenging times in the Euro-Mediterranean region. This forward-thinking model prioritizes #people and the #environment over immediate economic gains. It not only creates quality jobs and contributes significantly to GDP but also champions social and green dividends, addressing inequalities and ecological vulnerabilities.   🤝 What's truly exciting is how the social economy model has swiftly expanded into various sectors and forms, contributing to the #GreenTransition and innovative solutions in #RenewableEnergy, #CircularEconomy, and #SustainableAgriculture. This model is set to play a crucial role in Mediterranean development and cooperation policy.   🚺 One of the standout features of social economy is its unique capacity to socially and economically empower women. It's heartening to note that the '#GenderGap' in social economy entrepreneurship is much smaller than in 'mainstream' entrepreneurship: 👉 European Commission’s Social Economy Action Plan reveals that more than 60% of employees in the social economy are women, with smaller wage and leadership gaps than in other business models. However, there's untapped potential, and challenges still exist, from funding and visibility to policy obstacles.   💼 This #conference was a crucial platform for discussing these issues and exploring ways to foster woman entrepreneurship in the social economy.   👏 Special mention to Genç İşi Kooperatif (Youth Deal Cooperative), a presenter at the event, and my colleague Berkin Safak Sener, who has presented Türkiye’s climate in social economy and strategies to unlock creative potential.   🌟 The Social Economy is not just a model; it's a movement for positive change.   #UfMConference #SocialEconomy #WomenInLeadership #GenderEquality #Inclusion #BarcelonaConference #YouthDealCooperative

Important news from #teamBayer colleagues at Bayer Foundation!   The newly published comprehensive White Paper unveils key insights on female entrepreneurship in the Global South.   ✳ Challenges Shift: Gender-based discrimination, notably in Asia and Latin America, has surpassed financial constraints as the primary hurdle for female entrepreneurs.   ✳ Crucial Support: Business development support, including networking and mentorship, is pivotal for female entrepreneurs, as revealed by the study of nearly a thousand Women Empowerment Award applicants.   ✳ Regional Dynamics: Regional disparities surfaced, emphasizing the need to consider cultural contexts. While financial constraints were more pronounced in Africa, Latin American entrepreneurs emphasized the importance of visibility and recognition, signaling differing support requirements across regions.   This research underscores the need for tailored support systems, refining business development curriculums, fostering community programs, and creating networking avenues. Thank you Monika Lessl, PhD Lessl and the whole team for continued support to empower female leaders and driving innovation in the Global South!   #womenentrepreneurs #womenempowerment #Innovation #diversityandinclusion