GRANDIS Kick-off & Interregional Exchange in Budapest
The GRANDIS project officially launched its interregional collaboration in Budapest, Hungary, during a two-day kick-off meeting on 28–29 May 2024. Hosted by STRIA and attended by project partners and stakeholders, the meeting focused on establishing a shared understanding of project goals, policy challenges, and a vision for promoting female entrepreneurship in the green and digital (twin) transition.
The first day opened with welcoming remarks by Zoltán Haász and Zsolt Pálmai of STRIA. A participatory icebreaker session helped set a positive tone for collaboration.
EIFI Tech (Advisory Partner) introduced the Analysis and Exchange Methodology, followed by an Empathy Design Thinking Workshop. This session encouraged participants to explore the lived experiences of women navigating the twin transition. The aim was to “step into their shoes” and reflect on what women entrepreneurs need from policy to access and thrive in digital and green innovation environments.
Using the "empathy mapping" design thinking approach, participants worked in small groups to examine challenges from three perspectives: gender inequality, digitalisation, and the green transition. They explored what female entrepreneurs might be thinking, feeling, saying, and doing in response to common barriers. Each round focused on one theme, allowing groups to identify emotional and structural challenges such as skill gaps, lack of tailored support, and pressure from sectoral transformation. Empathy maps helped surface diverse viewpoints and underlined the need for inclusive, responsive policy design.
The session ended with a wrap-up to identify recurring patterns across the three challenge areas. Group representatives shared their findings, laying the foundation for regional replication and future policy-oriented activities.
The afternoon featured inspiring local Good Practices:
-
Gabriella Sódár (Blue Planet Foundation) shared insights from the WAWE programme.
-
Beatrix Bedő (Impact HUB Budapest) presented AWE and Visa She’s Next.
-
Júlia Dalmadi introduced TransFoodMission under the Food Innovation programme.
-
Krisztina Dely discussed GREET CE and women in sustainability innovation.
-
Gréta Ildikó Rácz showcased Green Drops Farm Ltd.
-
Margit Batthyány-Schmidt presented the work of the Union of Hungarian Women Association and its UN-level engagement.
Day two focused on coordination. The 1st Steering Committee meeting, led by Francesca Martemucci (Resolvo), covered project management and reporting. A communication session followed, led by Madeline Langlois. Partners then introduced their selected policy instruments, laying the groundwork for upcoming regional and interregional exchanges. The meeting concluded with a discussion of next steps.
Looking ahead, each partner will replicate the Empathy Design Thinking Workshop regionally, engaging local female-led SMEs and stakeholders. These sessions will support capacity-building and inform policy development to better address gender and innovation challenges in the twin transition. The first round of regional workshops and stakeholder meetings is planned by the end of September 2024.
With a strong start and shared commitment to inclusive innovation, the GRANDIS partnership is well positioned to support policy improvements that empower women entrepreneurs across Europe.
