The role of women in innovation is emerging as a vital force in the fight against climate change and the preservation of biodiversity. NOW-SEE is an Erasmus+ project which focuses on empowering women to lead the way in the green transition. It builds new skills required by the green economy through e-learning platforms and workshops designed to increase the engagement of women in sustainable environmental entrepreneurship. Within the project, women entrepreneurs are promoted as role models and encouraged to develop leadership skills.

Across Europe, there are many women working on innovation with ideas for sustainable businesses and projects. Yet, despite their potential, they often face barriers in accessing support and information on entrepreneurship. According to WEgate, a platform launched by the EU to help women create and run successful companies, women represent only about 30% of start-up entrepreneurs in the EU. Data from the OECD (2021) further highlights this disparity, showing that, between 2016 and 2020, less than 5% of women in the EU were involved in creating a business or managing a new business, relative to about 10% of men. NOW-SEE tackles this issue, providing training to women on the skills to start their own green businesses, and raising awareness of good practices by women.

NOW-SEE started in 2022, led by Asociatia Inovatrium (Romania), and involves partners from four other countries.

The project was designed to inspire women's engagement in sustainable entrepreneurship. The partnership set out to showcase success stories, develop a set of accessible training tools, and train educators to facilitate a digital pathway for women to become successful eco-entrepreneurs. NOW-SEE has therefore contributed to the objectives of the European Green Deal: supporting green employment, developing competencies needed for the green transition, and promoting gender equality.

NOW-SEE has developed and applied a set of tools based on sustainable entrepreneurship for women, which place environmental solutions at the core of their business activities. Using these resources, they have trained ten adult educators, and empowered over two hundred women, including women from disadvantaged backgrounds, from Romania, Spain, Lithuania, Cyprus, and Poland, to embrace sustainable entrepreneurship and take appropriate action. These businesses have included organic catering, eco-beauty services, green housekeeping products, recycling initiatives, eco-tourism, and many more.

An awareness-raising and motivation e-workshop was created, entitled ‘Could sustainable entrepreneurship be my future?’ aiming to elevate female engagement in green businesses. It looks specifically into the significance of sustainable environmental entrepreneurship in today’s context, and the benefits of green jobs. It covers women’s empowerment, and why women are so important in this context. It also sets out the basic strategic principles of sustainable business management, as well as leadership skills. The e-workshop includes the presentation of ten inspiring stories from women who have succeeded in sustainable business ventures, as well as examples of effective green business practices across the European Union.

The partnership also produced an ‘educational e-studio’ called ‘Women in Sustainable Environmental Entrepreneurship’. In addition to the e-workshop, this module includes video courses on innovation solutions in eco-sustainable enterprises, principles of social entrepreneurship in sustainable enterprises and digitalisation, facilitated group sessions, networking with other women interested in environmental entrepreneurship, and individual mentoring. A pedagogical implementation e-toolkit for adult educators was also created for the facilitation of future e-workshops and e-studios.

Florentina goes on to tell us about some of the important messages which are passed on through the training: “Society often has strong opinions about women pursuing careers or starting businesses, whether positive or negative. It’s up to us to use these comments constructively and remain focused on our goals. Hold a strong vision, ignore social distractions, trust in your own abilities, remain resilient, be persistent.” One woman who participated in the training stated “I liked the success stories of the women entrepreneurs, because they presented not only their ‘achievements’ but also the difficulties they faced, the constraints of running a green business, and the solutions they found.”

The project has recently held its final conference, but the tools are now online and accessible, with open access to all. The next steps include organising more workshops with women interested in sustainable environmental business, and expanding the network of facilitators.

Florentina concludes “We see more and more women - their passion for sustainability and innovative business ideas are transforming industries and creating a positive impact on our planet.”