Female founders in focus: Witten/Herdecke promotes innovative female entrepreneurs!

Female founders in focus: Witten/Herdecke promotes innovative female entrepreneurs!

The Faculty of Economics and Society at the University of Witten/Herdecke (UW/H) has actively participated in the EXIST Women scholarship program of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection. This program aims to support young women who want to address societal challenges with an entrepreneurial mindset. Within this framework, five students interested in starting a business will receive financial support over a period of three months and be integrated into a committed community of founders. The scholarship holders benefit from the support of experienced mentors from business and science. uni-wh.de reports that the support concept is considered exemplary in Germany and offers participants access to workshops, coaching and networking events.

Prof. Dr. Thomas Clauß, the project manager and vice dean for research at the UW/H, emphasizes the urgency, as female start-up projects are behind the national average. The EXIST Women program is intended to be a springboard for women to realize their entrepreneurial ideas. Charlotte Peter, a scholarship holder and student, emphasizes that the program is complemented by role models and a supportive network. In small seminar groups with a maximum of 25 participants, interaction between lecturers and students is encouraged, which contributes to the formation of intensive learning communities.

Support for female founders

The EXIST Women funding program is part of the federal government's broader start-up strategy, which aims to increase the number of female founders and promote diversity. According to the current data from the EXIST funding statistics, the female founder rate is 25 percent, with an increasing trend in recent years. In order to strengthen the commitment to female founders, the EXIST team offers various events and consulting services. Universities and research institutions are invited to support their existing or planned offers for female founders and to apply for new funding lines in order to further improve the opportunities for female entrepreneurs. exist.de clarifies that there is currently an application deadline of December 6, 2024.

The start-up culture is significantly strengthened by raising awareness and networking among female founders in Germany. This is done through intensive exchange formats outside of regular workshops, which offer the opportunity to share experiences and create synergies. In addition to financial support, surveys to “collect good practice measures” in the area of ​​women entrepreneurship are also essential in order to identify and continually update the best practices in supporting female founders. This creates a valuable resource for guidance for aspiring female entrepreneurs.

A promising future

As the University of Witten/Herdecke emphasizes, practical content on innovation, responsibility and leadership are central elements of the program. These combine entrepreneurial thinking with a strong desire to shape society. Many UW/H alumnae and alumni choose to become self-employed after completing their studies and thus contribute to a lively start-up culture.

In summary, supporting female founders is not only beneficial for female participants. It also promotes a diversified economic landscape in Germany, which urgently needs new perspectives and innovations. Information on how to apply and details about the EXIST Women program can be found on the website Federal Government to find.