Women entrepreneurs play a vital role in driving economic growth, yet they often encounter unique challenges and barriers in their startup journey. Recognizing the significance of their contributions and the need for diversity and inclusion, Skåne Startups has been at the forefront of hosting "Women in Entrepreneurship" (WiE) events.

These events hold immense importance in fostering diversity, inclusion, and empowerment. By providing a platform for women interested in entrepreneurship to connect, learn, and integrate into Skåne's startup community, we contribute to the creation of a vibrant and gender-diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem.

In this blog post, I'll share in details the purpose and mission of Women in Entrepreneurship (WiE) project and how I lead and manage the project.

What's the goal of WiE?

Women in Entrepreneurship (WiE) events are aimed at:

  • addressing the specific challenges faced by women entrepreneurs and fostering an environment of equality and inclusivity
  • serve as catalysts for change, offering support, resources, and networking opportunities to empower women entrepreneurs
  • facilitating the integration of women into the thriving startup community of Skåne

Through carefully curated events, we provide a platform where women can forge meaningful connections, expand their knowledge base, and explore opportunities within the startup ecosystem.

How did I start hosting WiE?

With strict health regulations in place and limitations on gathering sizes, we decided to find innovative ways to continue the Women in Entrepreneurship tradition while prioritizing the safety and well-being of our participants. Earlier 2021, we decided to host small, invite-only breakfast gatherings.

  • To ensure compliance with COVID rules, we took a creative approach and branded these gatherings as "intimate breakfasts". By limiting the number of attendees, we aimed to a comfortable environment where they engage in meaningful conversations.
  • To maintain the essence of WiE, we hosted these breakfast almost every week throughout the year in collaboration with local co-working spaces.

During these intimate breakfasts, participants had the opportunity to engage in casual and intimate conversations. Many women shared the challenges encountered in the startup realm and explore potential solutions together.

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I actively hosted every WiE breakfast event. Engaging with female tech professionals and small business owners alike, I had the privilege of hearing firsthand accounts of personal stories and experiences. The exposure to these narratives solidified my conviction that there exists a significant gap in addressing the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs. 

My team hosted WIE with MINC and Venture Lab

Working in silo hinder progress and limit the potential for success, especially when our goal is support the regional tech ecosystem. I strongly believe that collaboration is essential for success, so we closely collaborated with prominent entities in the startup ecosystem, including Minc, the esteemed startup house of Malmö, and esteemed co-working spaces like The Ground and MindPark. By uniting our efforts and sharing our expertises, we together can cultivate a rich and inclusive tech ecosystem.

How did I manage WiE?

From early on, I recognized the constraints imposed by limited resources in our organization. While maintaining an active involvement in all organizational activities, I have embraced a non-micromanagement approach. Therefore, I have decided to recruit and nurture capable individuals to manage the Women in Entrepreneurship (WiE) project, enabling me to assume a supportive role within the initiative.

Throughout this period, I have diligently overseen the execution of Women in Entrepreneurship (WiE) activities to deliver impactful events and workshops. However, on a personal level as the CEO, my gratification comes from providing support to my team, empowering them to take charge and drive the project's success through their own creative initiatives.

From Feb 2021 - August 2021

I recruited Thathsara Palliyaguru to be the project lead.

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Sara's expertise lies in business analytics and sustainability, and she has a track record of spearheading impactful social impact projects across the United States, Sri Lanka, and currently, Sweden.

In these breakfasts events, we invite relevant guests to join and discuss a specific theme related to entrepreneurship or venture capital. Our goal is to create a space where women can share their experiences, network, and support one another.

In Spring 2021, we secured 50,000 SEK from Venture Lab Lund University to continue run WiE project. And one of our most memorable WiE breakfasts was when we collaborated with Malmö Pride. Due to attendee restrictions, we hosted a lovely breakfast for 50 people at Malmö Live hotel. This event was a success as we brought together a diverse group of women entrepreneurs who were passionate about promoting diversity and inclusion in the business world.

Sara and I hosted WiE during Malmö Pride 2021

From September 2021 - December 2021

I recruited Andrea Iseli to be the project lead.

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Having previously completed her Master of Entrepreneurship at Lund University and worked at Ideon Innovation, a Lund-based incubator fostering startup growth, Andrea brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. 

She adapted the WiE to the winter season by changing the breakfast gatherings into bi-weekly afternoon fika sessions. We curated themes that resonated with the audience and extended invitations to relevant founders and investors. The highlight during this period is that we participated Nordic Female Invest Summit held in November as the team.

Andrea and I hosted various WiE at different locations

From Feb 2022 - August 2022

I recruited Katalin Vikuk and Ashley Schilling to be the project lead.

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Katalin, a mental health professional, was studying for her Master of Entrepreneurship at Lund University with the aim of starting her own company. Her goal was to combine her knowledge of mental health with business strategies to create a new approach to wellness. While Ashley, on the other hand, was transitioning her career into marketing and communication. She had honed her skills and had proven to be an asset during the WiE project.

The highlight during this period was the collaborative effort we undertook in hosting the Women in Entrepreneurship (WiE) March 8th special breakfast edition, in partnership with MINC, Almi and UNOPS. This joint initiative served as a platform for empowering women entrepreneurs, bringing together a remarkable gathering of over 100 female entrepreneurs.

The panel discussion featured three female founders at different stages of their journeys. Their insights and wisdom provided valuable inspiration and guidance to the attendees. As we move forward, our team continued to seek collaborations and partnerships to further advance the mission of empowering women in entrepreneurship.

I interviewed founders during WiE March 8th 2022

As you can see, multiple individuals have been involved in the project at different capacities within a limited timeframe. As the CEO, I prioritize documentation to ensure seamless knowledge transfer. At the same time, I understand the value of embracing diverse perspectives that each project lead brings to the table. It is my responsibility to provide space and autonomy for the project leads to execute their vision with creative freedom.

How did I grow our audience reach?

In 2021, I spearheaded my team's efforts to organize and host an impressive lineup of 24 events, spanning from March 1st to December 8th. We maintained this pace and ambitious in 2022 and continued to facilitate valuable connections and networking opportunities for women. To effectively manage and grow awareness within a short timeframe, we implemented several strategic approaches:

Firstly, we engaged our audience during both pre-event and post-event marketing communication.

  • Prior to each gathering, we generated anticipation by announcing the upcoming invite-only gathering and encouraged attendees to tag friends or suggest individuals who should be invited.
  • Following the event, we diligently surveyed all participants, soliciting valuable feedback to continuously improve our offerings.
  • We shared key learnings through the events via social media channels.

These carefully crafted communication strategies enabled us to swiftly disseminate event awareness across social platforms and to create a momentum within the community.

Secondly, we formed close partnerships and worked hand in hand with like-minded organizations. This collaborative approach expanded our reach and amplified our message of empowering women's success.

Furthermore, we executed a marketing campaign called #WomenCrushWednesday. Every Wednesday, we featured prominent female founders within our community, celebrating their achievements. These engaging social media posts generated significant audience interaction and created a ripple effect, further spreading awareness of our mission to empower women's success.

Why should you care?

There are enough data and reports researching on why and how women, people of color, and other marginalized communities face unique challenges in the startup and tech sector in general. I believe that we should help level the playing field and provide a platform for underrepresented entrepreneurs to connect and learn from one another. You should care because:

  • Women's entrepreneurship fuels economic growth and development. Empowering women to start and grow businesses can lead to the creation of new jobs and increased productivity in our community.
  • Women bring unique perspectives, experiences, and skills to the table. Embracing diverse voices drives creativity and innovation, therefore, helps organisation make better business decision.
  • Closing gender-based economic & funding gap will provide women with more equal opportunities and resources. We'll need more women rising to the top (managers, founders, and board members etc.)
  • Women-led businesses often focus on creating a more equitable and sustainable world. By supporting those endeavours, we will improve areas such as education, healthcare, environment, and community development.
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