Women's Entrepreneurship Expo 2021 Report

The region's first 'Women’s Entrepreneurship Expo' was organized by the UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia between 27 to 29 April 2021, with generous support from the Government of Japan. 

This report details the unique opportunities provided to women entrepreneurs (new, start-ups and established) amid the COVID-19 pandemic to connect, create and accelerate business growth plans together with private companies, start-up founders, business owners, investors, women’s business associations and entrepreneur networks from the region.

The publication offers a status on women entrepreneurs in the region, and demographics on women entrepreneurs at the Expo including entrepreneurs’ profiles, businesses and business acumen, and the Expo’s impact on their learning, skills and knowledge.

The report presents how the Expo with its interactive idea’s generation sessions, co-working spaces/labs and networking opportunities kick-started a much needed and essential dialogue to expand the potential of women entrepreneurs beyond their immediate communities, into the region and beyond. The report incorporates resources (toolkits/How-to guides and prototype business models) produced by UN Women and facilitators to promote participants’ entrepreneurial learning on topics related to: practical business techniques in blueprint modelling; branding and marketing; entering demand-supply and value chains; rethinking digital sales and e-commerce; financial goals and resilience building; and developing and pitching winnable business plans.

The publication also presents the Expo’s virtual exhibition spaces created an inclusive marketplace for women entrepreneurs to showcase their products and services, and virtual learning spaces were created for Expo partners to engage in thematic discussions with women entrepreneurs and other participants.