Enterprising Women into European Research - WomEn2FP6
The starting point of the WomEn2FP6 project – Enterprising Women into European Research (FP6) - was the realisation that women entrepreneurs very often are not aware of the possibilities offered by the 6th Framework Programme (FP6) and that almost none of them participate in transnational cooperation. Whereas women are heading almost 30 percent of the 18 million SMEs in Europe, they are managing only 6 percent of the European research projects for SMEs. This has been cause and motivation two years ago for the creation of the European project WomEn2FP6, which aims at integrating women entrepreneurs in European research projects.
Involving 15 partners from ten EU Member States, this project targets the reduction of existing regional gaps in support of women entrepreneurs through transregional learning, training courses and seminars. Most of the partners have worked together in the thematic network ProWomEn. During the last two years, over 800 women entrepreneurs participated in activities and have been trained. The project partners have been successfully integrating women entrepreneurs from 10 European countries in 50 European project proposals. About 180 profiles of enterprises are accessible by means of an internet platform.
WomEn2FP6 brings together two types of partners: those with expertise in technology and innovation, and those with expertise in helping women to set up businesses. It is through bringing these various partners together that the partners developed a strategy to effectively approach and integrate women entrepreneurs into FP6 projects.
Training was offered depending on the needs and the creation of transnational clusters of women entrepreneurs. Furthermore an Internet database was set up where women are able to advertise their company, their expertise and what they can bring to an FP6 project or any other EU-funded project (FP7).
Contact:
Charlotte Schlicke, Tel. 0711 123 4018
Email: schlicke@steinbeis-europa.de
Information about the European ETI Project WomEn2FP6 as flyer and in the flyer Lessons Learned.