Women entrepreneurs
Our missions
05.03.2019 | Entrepreneurship
In May 2018, the Women Initiative Foundation—in partnership with BNP Paribas Wealth Management and with support from CEDE – ESSEC—published a study on entrepreneurship and gender stereotypes in Europe. Its goal was to measure diversity in entrepreneurship and learn more about the obstacles facing women entrepreneurs. Results and analysis below.
According to a survey of 400 men and women entrepreneurs in France, Germany and Italy:
In light of these findings, the Women Initiative Foundation has defined a set of recommendations that BNP Paribas works to implement:
With the Women Entrepreneur program on Stanford’s campus , the Group notably helps women entrepreneurs exercise their leadership and accelerate their business’s growth. The program combines lectures, business/incubator tours and networking sessions among participants. Since it was created four years ago, the program has contributed to the professional and personal development of 150 women entrepreneurs.
BNP Paribas encourages the creation of mutual aid networks to learn the ropes of research and financing, acquire the building blocks of self-confidence, and shatter glass ceilings. In this light, the Group has developed a dense network of advisors specialized in women’s entrepreneurship, networking events and workshops on specific themes. The “Connect Hers” support program combines tutoring and networking to create an optimal environment for women’s entrepreneurship, by providing women entrepreneurs with financing and expertise, as well as connecting them with the right people at the right time.
The Group also partnered with the Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society. The purpose of this international event is to improve female representation and gender parity among society’s leading bodies.
BNP Paribas also offers many other events dedicated to building a tight-knit community of women entrepreneurs. That is the aim of Women Inspiring the Future, a forum devoted to women entrepreneurs in Belgium, and the BNP Paribas Global Prize for Women Entrepreneurs, which has recognized an exceptional woman entrepreneur each year since 2017.
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