The Enterprise Europe Network helps businesses innovate and grow on an international scale. It is the world’s largest support network for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with international ambitions. The Network is active in more than 60 countries worldwide and brings together 3000 experts from more than 600 members organizations- all renowned for their excellence in business support.
As part of the EEN operates a Women Entrepreneurship sector group (WEG), a group of EEN partners who work together to meet women entrepreneurs’ needs and help them find clients and co-operation partners, access innovation services, join existing women entrepreneurship networks, learn about EU programs and apply for grants. WEG has developed its activities with a multi-sector approach such as ICT, textile and fashion, agrifood, creative industries and retail. The WEG strategic approach is based on 1) connecting WEG with the key national stakeholders for WE and 2) linking WE stakeholders internationally, by signing MoU among WEG members’ organizations and other associations of businesswomen and women entrepreneurs and signing trans-national agreements between national associations of businesswomen among WEG members’ countries.
Its main activities include:
- Business partnering and innovation services in the context of women entrepreneurship (B2B matchmaking events, company missions)
- Identification and broadening of existing expertise in the area of women entrepreneurship
- Mainstreaming concept of women entrepreneurship in other EEN activities
- Assistance to women entrepreneurs in joining existing networks or support (funding) programs for women entrepreneurship
The Woman Entrepreneurship Group may also play an important intermediary role to:
- Increase of participation in communication campaigns organized by the EC in this area
- Maintain links with relevant services in the European Commission
So far, WEG had implemented numerous activities, such as Voogle conference – B2B, Woman in leadership Summit SEE, Co-matching Kocaeli, Torino Fashion Week in Turin, Italy, produced a video “Women make it different” and a Pitch catalogue of WEG company profiles.
The first edition of the WEG e-catalogue contains 3-minute pitches of female business profiles – success stories of women-led businesses across Europe. The ultimate aim is not only to promote the cooperation profiles supported by WEG but also to inspire more women to take a shot at realizing their ideas and business plans.
According to Mrs Sanja Popovic-Pantic, the Chair of the Sector Group Women’s Entrepreneurship, this practice increases the level of interaction and facilitates the sharing of profiles among sector group members. The e-catalogue is more suited for initially attracting clients, with the presentation of profiles in pitching style, the recognition of potential matches is simplified, while the distribution can be done by varieties of digitally supported channels. It also contributes to the visibility of the Women sector group operations and reinforces the ties with the profile holders, involving them in the creation of the pitching profiles and triggers better the interest of potential clients. Our practice can be easily replicated at no cost, just resample the most promising corporation profiles, reshape them into three minutes’ pitch, introduce some appealing pictures and messages, and distribute it as wide as possible. Make it easy, when you are busy.
