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RE-FEM Newsletter #5 –

July 2025

Looking up at skyscrapers in perspective

WELCOME TO THE FIFTH NEWSLETTER OF THE RE-FEM PROJECT!

We are thrilled to have you on board and share our incredible journey to support women entrepreneurs in the post-COVID era.

By signing up for our Newsletter, you can enjoy the following advantages:

  • Stay updated with the latest developments in female entrepreneurship.
  • Get inspired by captivating stories and videos.
  • Access research publications from RE-FEM.
  • Receive first-hand news about upcoming events.
  • Gain valuable insights into innovative approaches for female entrepreneurship.
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ABOUT RE-FEM

RE-FEM – ‘Upskilling pathways for REsiliency in the post-Covid era for FEMale Entrepreneurs’ is an Erasmus+ project led by HETFA Research Institute, aiming to empower women entrepreneurs, through need-based training for maintaining resilient businesses in the post-covid era. The project also wants to serve the needs of the trainers and mentors in business support and entrepreneurship working in the field of adult education by providing easily accessible, high quality and transformative training tools.

In a world where challenges are ever-present, building resilience is crucial for female entrepreneurs. RE-FEM recognizes this and is committed to offering solutions that empower women to navigate these challenges successfully.

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ONLINE COURSE IN 9 LANGUAGES

Training Manual

The Online Course of RE-FEM is available on our website in 9 languages: English, Bulgarian, Finnish, Romanian, Slovakian, Spanish, Swedish, Serbian and Hungarian. RE-FEM’s comprehensive online training materials have been developed by the RE-FEM Consortium to empower women entrepreneurs, trainers and educators with practical knowledge and skills. The course is designed to help participants elevate their businesses by addressing key areas such as digitalization, innovation, finance, crisis management and more. Structured into five modules, the curriculum provides targeted insights and tools that women business owners can apply to overcome today’s dynamic market challenges and foster sustainable growth.

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EXPLORE THE MODULES

TRAINING MANUAL

The RE-FEM Training Manual is available on our website! The content of the Training Manual is based on previously held pilot meetings for women entrepreneurs and trainers focusing on women entrepreneurs, organised in each partner country (Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain). During these pilot trainings, the 5 training modules were tested, that compose the structure of the Training Manual.

Training Manual
Access the Training Manual

WEBINAR IN FEBRUARY

Women entrepreneurship, resilience, education and support

The RE-FEM Project Webinar was held on the 18th of February titled „Women entrepreneurship, resilience, education and support”. This webinar brought together researchers, policymakers, and entrepreneurs from across Europe to explore the challenges and opportunities in women’s entrepreneurship. The event was divided into two key parts, it kicked off with the presentations of the RE-FEM project results and was followed by panel discussions on bridging research with practice and strengthening support systems for women entrepreneurs.

RE-FEM TALKS

The RE-FEM Talks are a series of insightful webinars for the members of the LinkedIn Networking Group of RE-FEM, designed to provide useful and inspiring information for women entrepreneurs, from women entrepreneurs. We had the following guests in our sessions in 2025:

From the Deep Forests to the International Stage: Unlocking AI for Women Entrepreneurs

The RE-FEM Talk series kicked off on the 30th of January with an outstanding webinar, featuring Anna Häggblom, Finnish entrepreneur and AI strategist at Aveo. The webinar titled “From the Deep Forests to the International Stage: Unlocking AI for Women Entrepreneurs” focused on her story about how she became an AI strategist, and on her advices about how women entrpreneurs can benefit from using AI tools. The conversation was moderated by Ann-Sofi Backgren, CEO of Brand-Sofi, one of the partners of the RE-FEM project.

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Women & Sustainability

Kinga Kelemen, founder of the sustainable slow fashion brand Lanelka, shared her entrepreneurial journey and insights on sustainability in business as part of the RE-FEM Talk series, on International Women’s Day, 2025. The conversation was moderated by Orsolya Gergely, PhD, Associate Professor at SAPIENTIA University.

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Cybersecurity in Everyday Life: Stay Safe Online

The third session of the RE-FEM Talk series, titled Cybersecurity in Everyday Life: Stay Safe Online, was successfully held on the 8th of April, 2025. Bibiana Žigová, shared practical guidance and valuable insights on how to safeguard digital environments in the rapidly evolving landscape of cyber threats. Veronika Blizman Servilová, Manager of International Activities from the Slovak Business Agency facilitated this conversation.

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To stay updated about upcoming RE-FEM Talks, join our International Networking Group! This LinkedIn group connects individuals dedicated to improve women’s position in entrepreneurship, creating a community of women entrepreneurs, experts, innovators and adult educators.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN

RE-FEM WORLD CAFÉ EVENTS

As part of the 5th work package of the RE-FEM project, partners organize national-level World Café events to gather insights and recommendations that feed into the project’s final outputs.

The World Café is an interactive discussion format designed to foster meaningful dialogue in a relaxed, informal setting — often structured like small café-style tables – where participants rotate between groups to explore key topics, share experiences, and co-develop ideas. This approach encourages the exchange of diverse perspectives and helps uncover practical solutions and innovative approaches.

Within the RE-FEM project, these World Café events bring together experts, professionals, women entrepreneurs, policymakers, and stakeholders across partner countries. They explore key topics related to the challenges, opportunities, and needs of women entrepreneurs and their mentors and trainers, ensuring that the discussions reflect the diverse realities and experiences within the field.

World Café in Hungary

On the 16th of April, the RE-FEM project kicked off its first World Café event in Budapest. The event brought together professionals relevant to women entrepreneurship, including directors, executives, key decision-makers, public sector representatives involved in relevant policy areas, as well as women entrepreneurs themselves — with the aim of discussing how to better support women entrepreneurs, assess the effectiveness of current policies, and explore potential new initiatives.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS EVENT!

World Café in Slovakia

A common theme across all table discussions of the Slovakian World Café event was the need for a more human-centred approach and collaboration. Entrepreneurs and experts emphasised the lack of connection between government support, expert advice, and the real-life situations of women entrepreneurs. Whether it’s returning to work after maternity leave, the need for simpler grant systems, or just the desire not to be alone in the journey, each of these women is looking for meaningful support, not complicated forms.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS EVENT!

World Café in Serbia

On 8th May 2025, the Institute Mihailo Pupin (IMP) hosted a World Café event. The event provided a dynamic space for open dialogue between women entrepreneurs and key stakeholders to identify actionable recommendations to enhance the status and support systems for women entrepreneurs in Serbia.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS EVENT!

World Café in Spain

As part of the RE-FEM project’s mission to empower women entrepreneurs in the post-COVID era, Andalucía Emprende hosted a successful World Café event in Cádiz, Spain. The gathering, titled “The Resilience of Women-Led Businesses”, brought together a dynamic group of 25 women, including entrepreneurs, trainers, experts and institutional stakeholders, to share their experiences and co-create meaningful solutions.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS EVENT!

World Café in Finland

A World Café event was organised in June 2025 in Vaasa, bringing together women entrepreneurs and supporters of inclusive development. One of the participants was Trang Pham, an international business student with a strong interest in digital innovation and women’s empowerment. We had the opportunity to speak with her about her experiences from the event and beyond.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS EVENT!

World Café in Romania

A total of 26 participants attended the event, including two national members of the Romanian Parliament (Boglárka Kántor and Éva Andrea Csép), as well as representatives from county and local governments. Among them were a mayor, a deputy mayor, and several women holding representative positions in local and county councils.

Participants also included women entrepreneurs, professionals from higher and adult education, researchers and experts working on related topics, and representatives of several civil society organizations, as well as the regional community of women entrepreneurs.

The discussions were moderated by Dr. Katalin Kinga Székely, Melinda Puskai, Beáta Búzás, and Dr. Orsolya Gergely.

The date for the second Multiplier Event of the RE-FEM project is October 1, 2025. The event will be organised in Seville – but you can join the event online from any part of the world. Follow our website and social media platforms for upcoming information!

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