31.01.-05.02.2021: ifempower invited 16 international students (from Latin America to Iran) enrolled in EU universities from Spain (AEFPA), Romania (Sapientia), Hungary (Corvinius) and Austria (Sigmund Freud) to attend winter school on female entrepreneurship. Participants benefited from target oriented methodological concept which was elaborated by ifempower project partners since September 2018.

Winter School was conceptualized by Dr. Erzsébet Fanni Tóth, coordinator of an International Ph.D. programme at Sigmund Freud University of Vienna, also founder and CEO of Femspace (community of professional women from many different backgrounds, living and working in Vienna, Austria). Of course, winter school program is in line with imfepower entreprenurship tooklit  which is also available online. Implementation was led by the project coordinator – Hetfa Research Institute – with expanded contribution of Senior project manager in the frame of various international programs, Fanni Bobák.

Fanni Tóth started the winter school days every morning with icebreaking sessions before daily thematic priorities were presented in form of key note speeches.

• “Contextualisation of the SME – How to do business in the ever-changing context (covid, climate change, new borders, etc)?” was the question that was addressed in the first day. Thus, first keynote speech was delivered by the director of Steinbeis Transfer Center, Jürgen Raizner. 

• “Why to start with the Why?” – or, in expanded version, what do you need to know before you start creating your own pitch was the main subject for the 2nd day. Session was conducted by Katalin Czirjék, a community builder, public speaker, entrepreneur, Founder Transylvanian Women Entrepreneurs and Vice-President Transylvanian Art and Trade.

• Preparation for student`s pitches continued with “Digitalisation in business, online networking, online enterpreise without boundaries” where they have learnt valuable tips from UK-based speaker Francine Beleyi, an award-winning digital & change strategist specialised in Personal & Executive Branding.

Daily afternoon program was composed by self-awareness sessions held by psychotherapist Mariia Lenherr (Demianchuk), owner of magister degree and also conductor of Study Reflection Group at Sigmund Freud University of Vienna.

And Jürgen Raizner coached students in small-groups work on business design activities. He encouraged students to discuss topics according their individual needs in developing business.

Entrepreneurship is about acting independently (within or outside an organization), whatever the motivation might be, under the condition to be paid direct or indirect for it. Students at Winter School develop their business, surprisingly, towards subjects that are in the hotspot of reputated conferences, reuniting a plenty of high-ranked officials fighting for securing the EU future. ifempower Winter School participants develop business in following thematic sectors:

Social causes:

• association aimed to connect children with elderly people, including all vulnerable layers of society
• platform as primarily a workout channel for healthy life but promoting social causes
• online therapy at 1 click distance for providing psychological services for immigrants
• recognition for art therapy as innovative technique for the most disadvantaged categories
• application to connect medicine professionals speaking different languages

Business causes:

• scientific method for measuring customer satisfaction by data driven solution to analyze social digital behaviour
• online solution for service after networking and events

Cultural business causes:

• platform of Hungarian diaspora for promoting cultural heritage and products
• consultancy service point for artists (from Budapest) into promoting their work

Education: new revolutionary method to teach foreign languages

Entertainment: Magic place to escape reality + bartender cocktails

Developing rural areas: Diversifying customer offer in small cities by introducing variety of chocolates and coffees

Expert consultancy:

• Tax advisory
• Aquaponics systems concept

Fashion industry: Sustainable production concept for high-quality pijama brand

Last day of the winter school was dedicated to feedback and solutions for further steps. Keynote beloged to Carmen del Pino Martínez Cáceres, expert for 25 years on behalf of Andalucía Emprende from Spain. Subject of the keynote was how to find the own voice and skills every entrepreneur needs to master Main business support organization from Andalucía is also responsible by the ifempower support points output. Contribution of high-ranked professionals like Carmen de Pino and Clara Lopez Pliego was possible with the support of Nieves García Pereira, business consultant for startups creation for in-charge state institution of Spain (partner in the project).

ifempower Winter School was complemented by an entertainment program. Facultative . Highly welcomed by the participants. And deserved.

• Cultural program – Arizóna band from Hungary
• Soft yoga session with Fanni Bobák
• For You acapella vocal group concert

Winter School ended with „fingers crossed” for the following round of students to benefit from phisical format of Spring School aimed to happen in Miercurea Ciuc, Romania.

Project partners will do their best to organize in-person meetings with all the partipating students of Winter School. If this will be impossible as part of Spring School, further meetings can take place by using ifempower support point which is managed by Steinbeis.