Alibaba.com has announced the launch of the Alibaba.com Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) in Europe, highlighting its importance Commitment to promoting gender equality and promoting the growth of women entrepreneurs.
A recently commissioned pan-European survey Census-wide by Alibaba.com has highlighted the diverse challenges faced by women entrepreneurs and business owners, particularly those arising from gender bias. Specific, 94% of respondents cited societal expectations and gender stereotypes as major barriers to female entrepreneurswhile nearly 60% cited gender as a key factor in the failure of business initiatives.
Interestingly, the data suggests that companies with fewer employees and lower turnover are less likely to perceive gender as a barrier to business success and have identified fewer cases of gender-related barriers. This trend points promisingly to the potential leadership role of SMEs in promoting gender equality. However, the majority of women surveyed, mMore than 63% said they had faced challenges where their gender was perceived as a disadvantage.
According to an analysis by Alibaba.com, respondents believe that educational initiatives aimed at both companies and schools are critical to promoting diversity within the business ecosystem while increasing funding opportunities. Additionally, the top three strategies to improve the representation of female entrepreneurs in traditionally male-dominated industries include: greater visibility of businesswomen in the media (44%)the establishment of support groups that facilitate joint problem-solving between business women (42%) and the defense of gender equality (41%).
AWE Program: Reducing the Gender Gap in Entrepreneurship
In order to eliminate these differences, Alibaba.com launched the AWE initiative, a training, mentoring and networking program aimed at female entrepreneurs or co-owners. Participants will have the opportunity to connect with a dynamic community of like-minded industry leaders, investors and mentors over a 10-week period. During this time, they delve into modules on leadership, negotiation, strategy, business and financial models, financing, communication and much more. In 2024, AWE will host forty companies led by women from across Europe, including Spain.
Participants will have the opportunity to work with a dynamic community of industry leaders such as European Women on Boards, DHL Express, a leading logistics company, Visable, operators of B2B marketplaces such as Who Delivers What and Europages, as well as with managers of small businesses such as Aceites Albert. Through this interaction, they will gain invaluable knowledge and build strategic partnerships to explore pathways to success and growth.
«We believe we can ultimately contribute to a more inclusive and prosperous global economy by giving women entrepreneurs the tools and knowledge to empower themselves.” he commented Michela Rubegni, Marketing Director for Europe at Alibaba.com.
«With the launch of the AWE Initiative, we aim to leverage our two decades of experience facilitating global trade and provide participants with the support, resources and networking opportunities they need to thrive in today’s competitive environment and overcome gender barriers. We look forward to connecting with all businesswomen who are willing to join us on this exciting journey of learning and growth.« added Rubegni.
He The application period for participation in AWE 2024 is now open and ends on June 28, 2024. Program activities are expected to begin in the fall. To know the requirements and apply, applicants can visit the official AWE website.