The Brussels Government is making a push to boost entrepreneurship and diversity by creating a more supportive environment for female entrepreneurs by setting up a special grant fund.
On Thursday, the government is launching a call for projects for the "Women in Business" initiative, while freeing up to €350,000 of public funds for it, reported Bruzz.
The tech start-up industry is notorious for being dominated by men. However, a barometer designed by hub.brussels from 2020 has shown that the number of self-employed women in the Brussels Region has increased by 30% in the last 10 years. However, there are still 2.5 times as many men like women who are registered as independents. Women are still a minority, particularly in the tech sector.
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According to State Secretaries for Economic Transition Barbara Trachte (Francophone Greens) and Equal Opportunities, Nawal Ben Hamou (Socialist Party), the Covid-19 pandemic has had an especially negative impact on female entrepreneurs as many work in small companies.
Supporting female entrepreneurship
The budget for the 'Women in Business' project is €350,000 and intended for initiatives that will support female entrepreneurship, including through self-help, coaching programmes, networking events and other activities.
€35,000 to €100,000 will be available for each project, with projects selected by a jury based on criteria such as the quality of the support and the relevance of each target group. Applications can be submitted until 15 July.
