Brussels, 16/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - As part of the 2011 review of the Small Business Act, the European Commission launched a new initiative on Tuesday 15 November seeking to promote female entrepreneurship through the sharing of know-how and experience: a Europe-wide network of women mentors.
Realising female entrepreneurial potential. Women currently account for only 34.4% of the self-employed in Europe. To increase this percentage, successful businesswomen will assist women entrepreneurs who have set up a new company in the previous two to four years. The mentors will give these new entrepreneurs concrete advice on how to run and grow their companies in the critical early phase of their businesses, help them develop the necessary soft skills and coach them. The network of 170 mentors, selected from among businesswomen (and, indeed, businessmen) who have personal experience of owning and managing a SME successfully for at least five years, will cover 17 European countries, both EU and non-EU member states: Albania, Belgium, Cyprus, FYROM, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Mentors will share their knowledge and know-how on a voluntary basis (i.e., without remuneration) over a period of at least one year and will be responsible for at least two “mentorees”.
Specific support measures. Inspired by the successes of female entrepreneurship in the United States and Sweden, the Commission hopes to release a not inconsiderable potential for growth in these times of crisis. “It is clear that female creativity and entrepreneurial potential are the most underexploited source of economic growth and new jobs that should be further developed in Europe. In a time of crisis we cannot afford to forgo this potential”, said Industry Commissioner Antonio Tajani. As women do not go about setting up their own businesses in the same way as men, women-specific support is needed. This support will take account of the importance women attach to the work-life balance, women's caution and more highly developed sense of the risk of failure, and also their, empirically demonstrated, need for less capital and equity in starting up their own businesses. (EH/transl.rt)