BSI_4Women - The Baltic Sea Initiative for the Development of Business Activity of Refugee Women 

Russia's military invasion of Ukraine has not only caused one of the world's most tragic humanitarian crises but resulted in economic devastation that will influence territories far beyond Ukraine's borders. The main BSI_4Women's goal is to create a friendly economic environment for women entrepreneurs and innovators from Ukraine but also from other countries in similar situations. 

The objective is to create Transnational Fund and promote support instruments for companies, established by refugee women. The project also aims to counteract the negative economic and social effects of the BBSR business sector caused by the aftermaths of the invasion on Ukraine or other wars in different places in the world:

• Improving refugee women's entrepreneurial skills that will result in their economic independence, self-employment, self-realization, and potential.
• Creation of an incubation program of innovative business set-up.
• Providing project participants with a micro fund for starting a business.
• Increasing the competitiveness of the Baltic Sea Regions companies.
• Dissemination of the developed solutions.

The project is territorially oriented in all Baltic Sea regions. The different economic environment in partnership gives the possibility to choose a preferred country for each start-up referred to as regional specializations. All EU members and their economies will benefit from professional activation of vulnerable groups of refugees but what is most relevant, war immigrants will be supported with professional, long-term business-oriented help. It will prevent a number of social issues and immigration-related problems. 

Project coordinator:

Rzeszow Regional Development Agency, Poland

Partners:

• Kaunas Science and Technology Park, Lithuania
• More and Romsdal County Council, Norway
• Business Hub Central Denmark, Denmark
• Foundation „Ventspils High Technology Park”, Latvia
• Tallin Science Park Technopol Foundation, Estonia 
• Dalarna Science Park, Sweden 

Project activities (achievements): 

24-25 April 2023 – kick-off meeting & 1st Steering Committee Meeting in Aarhus, Denmark.
10-12 October 2023 BSI_4Women 3-day Transnational learning workshop & 2nd Steering Committee Meeting in Kaunas, Lithuania.
Survey research on solutions and tools for supporting migrant and refugee women in gaining independence, restoring balance in their lives, and returning to the labor market through self-employment.

18 January 2024 – the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Refugee Council, Tech-Park Kaunas, Ukreate Hub, Women Go Tech, and Innovation Agency Lithuania joined forces during the Entrepreneurship Opportunities FAIR ​in Vilnius to present business support tools and initiatives for aspiring entrepreneurs. The Park addressed the BSI 4Women initiatives and their impact.

3 June 2024 – major national organizations hosted the Entrepreneurship Opportunities Fair at Tech-Park Kaunas, inviting Ukrainian women to enhance their entrepreneurial skills and accelerate their business ventures. The event provided a platform for Ukrainian women entrepreneurs to share their challenges in starting businesses and seek advice on establishing their companies. 

2-3 July 2024 – Diesis Network has hosted the "Building Bridges: Social Economy Contribution to Peaceful Societies" event in Coop Brussels where Tech-Park Kaunas representatives featured the BSI_4Women project showcasing its efforts to create a supportive economic environment for women entrepreneurs and innovators from Ukraine. 

18 October 2024 – the Business Development and Incubation Program in Kaunas was launched.

24 January 2025 – the Program culminated in a national Demo Day.

21 May 2025 – the transnational Demo Day took place in Rzeszów, Poland, on 24 May 2020.

June 2025  – an information guide on entrepreneurial skills for refugee women was launched.

Follow our news:

Website: www.interreg-baltic.eu/project/bsi_4women 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BSI4Women 
Instagram: www.instagram.com/bsi_4women 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bsi4women 

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