Fostering female entrepreneurship in Spain
Lola has designed a device for clothes identification; Ana, an interactive tourism app; Blanca, a new lodging concept for international students. And so on until 22 projects, the participants in the Women Entrepreneurship Project that finished last December in Valencia.
17.02.2015
27 women entrepreneurs with 22 projects have taken part in the Women Entrepreneurship in Emerging Sectors Project in Valencia, promoted by Incyde Foundation, within the Gender Equality Programme operated by the Secretary of State for Social Services and Equality and cofinanced by the EEA Grants. The objective is to encourage women’s entrepreneurship in the priority emerging sectors where women are underrepresented, through business training and guidance.
For 8 weeks, they have received face-to-face and online training about everything related to a Business Plan, as well as personalized tutoring, the real added value of this programme, according to the participants. “In the personalized tutorings we evaluate their projects, sometimes we transform their ideas in order to improve their chance of success or we just shape them”, explains the Valencia course director, Bernardo Hernández. And when the programme finishes, participants have two years of counselling.
The programme in Valencia was closed on 19th December and so far, 5 of the participants have created their own companies. Among the projects, there are service providers, tourism companies, apps and e-commerce… For example, Ana Martínez has developed an interactive tourism app which turns a visit to Florence into a real adventure. “EEA Grants project has allowed me to translate my idea into a business”, explains Ana. Or Lola Ibáñez, finalist at an Entrepreneurship Contest organized by Emprende Madrid and the Spanish magazine Yo Dona with her design –patented- of a device for clothes identification. “More initiatives of this kind are necessary because there are plenty of women with great ideas who needs an extra push”, points out Lola. Or Blanca Dómine who is developing a new lodging concept for international students. “Taking part in this programme has helped me not only to develop a business plan but also to not back away from challenges”, says Blanca.
“The assessment of the project by the participants is very positive, learning achievements are high and the objectives are actually being achieved so we can say the EEA Grants are public funds well spent”, adds Bernardo Hernández.
Valencia is not the only city where this entrepreneurial training has been carried out by Incyde Foundation. 20 Spanish cities have developed this project in two editions, offering training and guidance to more than 500 women.
Women Entrepreneurship in Emerging Sectors Project is one of the pre-defined projects within the Gender Equality and Work-Life Balance Programme, operated by the Spanish Secretary of State for Social Services and Equality through the Women Institute and for Equal Opportunities and cofinanced with 10 million euros by the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism (EEA Grants).