Mentoring network to boost female entrepreneurship in Greece

Why? Female entrepreneurship is a source of growth and creates jobs, although in Greece this source has not been explored yet to its full potential. Women entrepreneurs are representing only 20% of entrepreneurs in Greece while the European average is 33%. Women trying to start their businesses face greater obstacles, particularly regarding the creation of a new company, the access to finance and suitable training. It is therefore necessary to support female entrepreneurship by offering the right means and tools that will help women, regardless of age, to start, upkeep and sustainably grow their business in the long run.

To this end, the European Commission co-finances and supports the establishment of a European network of mentors in order to provide female entrepreneurs with the opportunity to learn from already established and successful business men and women.

In Greece, the local network is called “BUSINESS MENTORS” and will develop a network of mentors and mentorees willing to support female start-ups to cope with the first difficult years of running a business. Learning from role models and successful examples will positively impact and support female entrepreneurship – especially in times of economic challenges such as the current in Greece.

How? We will bring together mentoring couples all over Greece that will meet regularly for a period of at least 12 months and that will profit mutually from the exchange of ideas and experience. Business men or women willing to become mentors and women who have recently started up their business wishing to be mentorees will be trained in mentoring and will receive on-going support by mentoring experts. The ultimate objective is to provide female entrepreneurs of all ages with the required knowledge, skills and competences that will enable them to successfully sustain their own business as a professional option.