Female Future: International Round table for Female Founders on 7th March 2025 Part 1
KAIT is the incubator & accelerator of the FH JOANNEUM, University of applied sciences that wants to inspire people to start their business. “International by design”, KAIT contributes to the International Women’s Day with the International Round Table for Female Founders. This online event took place for the fourth time already. It is organized by Sabine Proßnegg, FH JOANNEUM, with all its partners, especially with Yasar University in Turkey. To find out more, please go to: kait.fh-joanneum.at.
At this year’s discussion round, moderated again by Huryie Toker, Yasar University, there were three female founders: Kasia Wypiorczyk, Axé Boom Boom, see: Social entrepreneurs behind the enterprises: Kasia Wypiorczyk, Axé Boom Boom – Firstport, Anna Häfele, equidamus, see: Anna Häfele – Equidamus and Arinc Adivar, Medusa Textile, see: medusatekstil.com. If you want to read more of that discussion, please go to the blog Female Future: International Round table for Female Founders Part 2.
This year’s key note talk was given by Dr. Emma Ives from the Bright Red Triangle, part of the Napier University (UK) Edinburgh, Scotland. She introduced their latest venture, the SDG5 Living Lab.
Starting with the findings of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Scotland Report 2023-24, according to which roughly half of the early stage entrepreneurs were women in 2023, overall only 20% business base in Scotland is women-owned. So the question arises: How can we do better?
The social economy seems to attract women, since 71% of social enterprises in Scotland are run by women, a sector that is traditionally driven by passion and empathy rather than profits. The SDG5 Living Lab is framed within the 17 UN sustainability goals, namely for achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls. The SDG5 Living Lab started as part of the enterprise service Bright Red Triangle offers support to female or diverse founders. Giving business advice is the bread & butter but much more support can be found there.
The Living Lab follows a data informed approach, so collaboration, training, amplifying and funding have been identified to move the dial towards more equality.
Asked about female strengths, Dr. Emma Ives names empathy, that women are not soley driven by money and the ability to support and encourage diversity of thought within teams. She also stresses the importance of being passionate about your work, the ability to ask for help since no one succeeds just by oneself and the importance of participating in networks like the SDG5 Living Lab. For female founders finding a bit of “me time” in a busy environment is particularly important to be able to succeed in the long run. If you are inspired: see you at next year’s event!
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