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Description
The overall objective of the project is to increase the number of successful women enterprises, especially on the innovation fields, contributing to competitiveness and equal opportunities. With the ongoing changes taking place in the world economy because of the revolutionary digital transformation, the Central-Eastern European region should close the gap by a new approach to the development of a fresh inflow of innovative female enterprise funders together with female and male angel investors.
For this reason, we would like to establish a cross-country collaboration among partners coming from Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Moldova, and Norway as different partners bring in different competencies and best practices into the cooperation. Together we can develop a new methodology, train, and motivate a new generation of women entrepreneurs and smart angel investors. In order to achieve all the above targets on-line and off-line training, community building, go-to-market digital solutions will be provided for the beneficiaries. Extensive communication will be an enhanced part of the program.
The new digital platform as a regional knowledge HUB (marketplace) provides a suitable, up-to-date appearance for the otherwise local and isolated companies and gives impetus to their internationalisation, as an operating model for future consumption. Reaching the critical mass and visibility by the new network in the project will attract new participants and visitors to the platform which will ensure sustainability in the long run. Additionally, the growing visibility will attract new angel investors to the projects with high growth potential. The key to the sustainability to outline the project’s ars poetical which is "cooperation instead of competition"
Summary of project results
At the beginning of the project a survey was conducted to 1find out interests and needs of women who want to become entrepreneurs. Project Partners received more than 1400 answers in the four countries. The result revealed that women envisioning their future as entrepreneurs want to develop both social/soft skills and specific professional knowledge. They all considered that “thinking out of the box”, and possessing the right level of self-confidence and courage was important to obtain entrepreneurial success. Almost 60% responded that they would need a much more effective networking to succeed. These areas were typically less addressed in education, but are more important than ever.
The main task in the Wingate Project was to support women to be successful in business through various methods.
WINGATE Project offered trainings to those who were employed or unemployed and thinking about starting a business, being successful, or growing an existing business.
The offline trainings, organized with networking possibilities provided at each event, were organised along with online ones at the e-Platform. Partners, with the great support of the Expertise Partner, took good care to show best practices and role models at the training sessions, too.
Round-table discussions with Stakeholders proved to be the most effective means for enhancing cooperation and improving mutual knowledge and understanding between the donor and beneficiary states. Participation with speakers in Project Partners'' events and having experts from the Donor States and organizing the online forum with Norwegian experts by the Donor Partner which was attended by a huge number of Target group members also proved to enhance and improve in this aspect.
Wingate Project significantly contributed to the development of female entrepreneurship, innovative, resilient culture in the partnering countries. By means of well-planned educational endeavours and fruitful partnerships project partners have reached the target groups and inspired them to the transformation path. The qualitative impact is the empowerment of women and the advancement of gender equality within the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Wingate project fostered a culture of innovation, resilience, and leadership among female entrepreneurs. The project''s focus on cross-border cooperation expanded opportunities for women by connecting them to international networks, opening new opportunities and garnering international support.
Quantitatively, there have been 10,000 visits to the Wingate project website, www.wingateproject.com, over 400 new registrations on the e-platform, and over 13,000 individuals actively participated in educational courses offered on the platform and in person. The qualitative impact is reflected in the empowerment of women, challenging gender stereotypes, and promoting gender equality in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Summary of bilateral results
Donor partner enabled access to a broader network of resources and experts, particularly from Norway, which directly contributed to the enhancement of our educational programs and support services. The ability to tap into international resources allowed us to offer more comprehensive training, critical for overcoming the barriers faced by women entrepreneurs in the region.Wingate project benefited immensely from the expertise and resources provided by EP from Norway, which enabled access to knowledge and experts that significantly enhanced the capacity of the project partners and, by extension, all the beneficiaries. This also highlighted the value of international partnerships in facilitating meaningful knowledge transfer and capacity building. The bilateral partnership facilitated cross-border knowledge exchange and fostered international collaboration enriching the project with diverse perspectives and expertise. Such consortium has never been deployed on this scale in the region.The cooperation''s impact, evident in the enhanced capabilities of female entrepreneurs and the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region, highlights the transformative power of international partnerships.