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EMPOWA – Supporting women entrepreneurs ‘activities in Horizon 2020
Published on 21 November 2019
Greece
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About this good practice
The main problem EMPOWA addresses is that despite the EC support mechanisms for enhancing women entrepreneurship and the H2020 targets for gender equality in Research and Innovation, women are still under-represented in the flagships programme of H2020, the SME Instrument. In more detail, women account for only 19.7% of the business enterprise sector with a poor 11% participation share in Horizon 2020 SME Instrument activities. The goal of EMPOWA project is twofold: a) establishing a better representation of women in high-profile European SMEs and b) raising the number of businesswomen applying in SME Instrument calls and the number of the respective successful applications. The EMPOWA consortium is made up of Enterprise Europe Network experts. In order to foster female participation in the SME tool, EMPOWA followed a structured methodology to identify highly-innovative SMEs led by women. An online survey was performed to identify the needs of women entrepreneurs related to SME Instrument proposals submission. The results were used to develop appropriate support measures for the target group. A strategy was implemented to raise awareness of the Instrument among female entrepreneurs. Training, mentoring and advisory services were provided to the selected SMEs. The training areas covered information about the scope of the SME Instrument and successful proposal writing but also included general topics such as Entrepreneurship and business management.
Expert opinion
This is a good example of a project that focused on supporting female entrepreneurship and ensuring a greater representation of women in one of the main SME funding schemes in the EU (the SME instrument, now known as EIC Accelerator). The project was a success as it managed to reach a large number of participants from the intended target group and encouraged some of them to submit their SME instrument proposals. The project also promoted success stories of female entrepreneurs who had been previously successful in applying for the SME Instrument. These can be found here: http://empowa.zenit.de/?page_id=85
As a side note, the EC will also be making some changes to the EIC Accelerator this year. The EC has aimed at having in the pool of the best applications invited to face-to-face interviews in the EIC Accelerator cut-off deadline of 7 October 2020 and in the EIC Accelerator “Green Deal” cut-off deadline of 19 May 2020 at least 25% of applications submitted by SMEs (including start-ups) led by women CEOs (or equivalent position).
As a side note, the EC will also be making some changes to the EIC Accelerator this year. The EC has aimed at having in the pool of the best applications invited to face-to-face interviews in the EIC Accelerator cut-off deadline of 7 October 2020 and in the EIC Accelerator “Green Deal” cut-off deadline of 19 May 2020 at least 25% of applications submitted by SMEs (including start-ups) led by women CEOs (or equivalent position).
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
In total, EMPOWA project budget was 277.761€ funded by the European Commission. This budget covered mainly staff costs for Enterprise Europe Network experts from Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Italy and Spain/Catalonia as well as training and webinar events costs.
Evidence of success
The important project impact is demonstrated through a number of Key Performance Indexes focusing mainly on the number of reached target groups and beneficiaries. In more detail, 150 women Entrepreneurs received training, mentoring and advisory services, 3000 women Entrepreneurs were reached through awareness-raising actions, at least 10 women entrepreneurs proceeded with an SME Instrument proposal submission and 10 good practices and success stories were developed/published.
Potential for learning or transfer
The EMPOWA project can serve as point of reference for public entities when designing and drafting female innovation entrepreneurship strategies and action plans. In more detail, EMPOWA provides insights in vertical themes such as hosting proposal preparation training events, organizing female entrepreneurship success stories and role models mentoring group sessions and providing proposal screening advisory services. Nonetheless, EMPOWA methodology and its objectives and actions can form as a reference model for public authorities when elaborating policy measures with horizontal priorities such as supporting gender equality in research and innovation, designing dedicated business incubators or accelerator programmes for women entrepreneurs, maximizing policies’ impact and enhancing female participation in innovation activities and entrepreneurship.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
National Documentation Centre
Greece
Attiki
Contact
EU Projects Coordinator