Maja Arslanagić-Kalajdžić

Head of Centre for R&D at the University of Sarajevo - Project result Women Entrepreneurship Centre HR

Dr. Maja Arslanagić-Kalajdžić is an Associate Professor at the Marketing Department of School of Economics and Business (SEBS), University of Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Head of Centre for R&D at the University of Sarajevo. She also leads the South-West Women Entrepreneurship Centre that was founded within the Women in Business project at SEBS.

She holds a PhD from Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana. In 2016 and 2017 she worked as a post-doc researcher at the Chair of International Marketing, Faculty of Business, Economics and Statistics, University of Vienna. She has 13+ years of work experience and she is also engaged as an expert and researcher in different projects financed by both national and international bodies.

She is a member of American Marketing Association and European Marketing Academy. She co-authored more than 20 journal papers, one book, one monograph and several book chapters. She presented her research at more than 50 international scientific conferences.

Sabina Cimerman

Graduated engineer of Agriculture, Master of Advanced Studies in Technical Ecology

Working for the Government of Styria, Department 17 – Regional and Local Development, Trauttmansdorffgasse 2, 8010 Graz.

Tasks:

Regional programme management for INTERREG EU-programmes: ETC Slovenia Austria and ETC Austria Hungary, work on transnational and network programmes with styrian participation. Representing Styria in macro regional strategies Alpine Space and Danube Space.  

Responsible for regional development coordination for the regions of South-eastern Styria and South-western Styria.

Barbara Eibinger-Miedl

Minister Government of Styria for Economy, Tourism, Europe, Science and Research

Education and professional activities:

1999-2005: Diploma studies in law and business administration at the Karl-Franzens-University Graz (Mag. iur., Mag. rer. soc. oec.)

2005-2006: Management assistant at the Gründerinnenzentrum Steiermark (Styrian Centre for Women Entrepreneurs)

2006-2011: Project manager at Studien- und Technologie Transfer Zentrum Weiz GmbH

2011-2014: Associate partner at the Eibinger group of companies

since 2014 full-time in politics:

2014-2017: Chairwoman of the Styrian People's Party in the Styrian Parliament

25.04.2017 - 17.12.2019: Provincial Councillor for Economy, Tourism, Europe, Science and Research

Since 17.12.2019: Provincial Councillor for Economy, Tourism, Regions, Science and Research

Political activity:

2006-2010: Member of the municipal council of the municipality of Seiersberg

2006-2010: Member of the Federal Council

2010-2017: Member of the Styrian Parliament

since 2017: Member of the Provincial Government of Styria

since 2017: Deputy Federal Party Chairman ÖVP

2018 - 2020: Member of the Committee of the Regions of the European Union

Lisa-Maria Fassl

Female Founders Wien - Grow F - accelerator Programm Austria

Lisa-Marie Fassl is the co-founder and CEO of Female Founders, the fastest-growing community of entrepreneurial women in Europe. With her team she solves the two biggest problems of the tech & innovation ecosystem: access to funding for female-led companies and recruitment of female talent.

With a 9-year track record in the tech ecosystem and especially in early stage financing, she's initiated projects all over Europe and supported hundreds of companies.

She is a member of the startup expert committee of the Austrian Ministry for Digital & Economic Affairs, member of the Vienna Economic Council, a lecturer at several Austrian universities and holds positions on various advisory boards. In her free time she enjoys everything related to food and traveling. 

Nirvana Kapitan Butković

Women Entrepreneurship and the EU Strategy of the Danube Region - Coordinator of PA8 of the EUSDR - Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts, Croatia 

I am Head of EU Policy for Territorial Cooperation and Macroregional Development Department for three years  now. I am one of the Coordinators of Priority Area 8 of EU Strategy for Danube Region. I have a bachelor degree in Public Relations. I started working in the Ministry of Defence on the Public Relations experts expert, followed by the position of Head of Bilateral Department.Afterwards, I went to Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds where I’ve worked on EU Funds.In the last years, I am responsible for macroregional strategies, transnational and cross border cooperation programmes, where my Ministry is Coordinating priority Area 8 of the Danube Strategy and is also a part of Thematic Steering Group one of EUSAIR.

Gabriela Kostovska Bogoeska

WEgate community coordinator Vice-chair of the Women entrepreneurship group EEN and WEgate community coordinator.

Gabriela has more than 16 years of experience in business and innovation support activities for increased competitiveness of the business sectors and overall sustainable development. With background in mechanical engineering, managing an IT business incubator, and acting as the president of the Macedonian national council for women entrepreneurship.

Vice-chair of the Women entrepreneurship group within the largest European business support network, the EnterpriseEuropeNetwork, and WEgate community coordinator.

Claudia Krobath

Since 2010 Managing Director of IRS, active in strategic and operational areas.

Key qualifications: 20 years of experience in national and European programmes such as Interreg (AT HU, SI AT, Central Europe, Danube, Alpine Space) and others such as DG ENLARG SME. Educated in <International Project Management & funding facilities> - the expertise includes development and implementation of regional and international projects, project finance management, total marketing management and internationalisation, additional competences in HR development and leadership are given.

Gabriele Lechner

Vice-President & Regional Chairwoman <Woman in Business> FIW Styrian Chamber of Commerce

Vice-President & Regional Chairwoman <Woman in Business> FIW Styrian Chamber of Commerce. Gabriele Lechner has been an entrepreneur herself since 2007 and is successful on the market as the owner of the agency "werbelechner". Styrian women entrepreneurs and their concerns are very close to her heart, so she wants to improve their framework conditions and support

Doris Paier

Doris Paier is a project manager in the Start-up and Entrepreneurship Team in the Styrian Business Promotion Agency (SFG) in Graz, Austria. Her work involves consultation regarding funding opportunities for innovative start-ups and SMEs in classic branches such as the B2C sector and family friendly enterprises. She is also active in coordinating different projects and initiatives for founders in Styria such as WE! Women’s Entrepreneurship.

This training programme, specifically for female entrepreneurs, was established in 2018 and supports women during the first five years after starting their own business with measures such as professional and personal development workshops, personal coaching and networking events. In her leisure time she enjoys travelling and sport.

Tihomira Palova

State Expert, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Department, Ministry of Economy, Bulgaria

Ivana Radić

International Business Women's Network of Croatia 

Ivana Radić, M.Sc. Professor of Philosophy and Croatian Culture, Master of Science in Marketing, Faculty of Economics in Zagreb.

Coach, teacher and PR manager, president of International Women’s business network.

2015 I founded my company Present communications d.o.o. The main activity of the company is the education of directors of small and medium enterprises, managers, executives and teams with the aim of improving their business.

In 2017, I founded the International Women’s business network and I cooperate with the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, European Entrepreneurship Network in the project Small School of Entrepreneurship for Women, where I have been teaching for three years.

Co-author of two books: I can('t) be an entrepreneur (2016) and No problems only solutions (2018) and numerous articles on business.

Nóra Rodek

Director-General at the Ministry of Innovation and Technology HU

Nora Rodek, PhD: is a senior lecturer at University of Pannonia Nagykanizsa Campus. She received her PhD in Management and Business Administration at the Doctoral School of University of Pannonia. Her research topics are CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), sustainable and responsible management, social innovation. Author can be contacted at rodek.nora@uni-pen.hu

Judit Schrick-Szenczi

EU Strategy for the Danube Region Coordinator EUSDR PA 8, Ministry for Economic Affairs, Labour and Housing Baden-Württemberg

Dr. Judit Schrick-Szenczi is working in the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Labour and Housing Baden-Württemberg and is Coordinator of the Priority Area 8 (Fostering competitiveness of enterprises) of the EU Strategy of the Danube Region.

She is experienced in transnational and cross-border cooperation. She acted as deputy head of managing authority responsible for CBC and transnational programmes in Hungary and supported German beneficiaries within the Danube Transnational Programme as National Contact Point.

Eugenia Sili

Pilot Programme "Women in business" Moldova

Eugenia Sili acting as Adviser in the framework of the Organization for Small and Medium Enterprises Sector Development from Republic of Moldova (ODIMM), the key organization that ensures the increase of private sector competitiveness and smart transformation economic initiatives.

She has a large experience in the implementation of projects dedicated to strengthening the SME sector from the Republic of Moldova, financed by government and donors.

Mrs. Sili active participated at the process of designing and managed the National Program “Women in Business”, after approving trough Governmental Decision. The Program has an integrated approach that covers business development from the planning stages of starting a business, through the first two years of start-up and consolidation, through to long-term business growth, providing training, individual mentoring services, small and large grand scale (up to 80 thousand euro per business

Marlen Skarlovnik

Head of Sector for Entrepreneurship within the Ministry of economic development and technology of the Republic of Slovenia - “Entrepreneurship is female” SI

Ms. Marlen Skarlovnik is Head of Sector for Entrepreneurship within the Ministry of economic development and technology of the Republic of Slovenia, where she dedicates her time to entrepreneurial policy and design of concrete and innovative measures that do benefit the beneficiaries and end-users, mostly SMEs.

Daniela Stein

Business Women Center Klagenfurt AT

Since 09/2000 Executive Chairwoman of Business Frauen Center - Strategic and operational management of the organization

- Foundation and expansion of a female business network with approx. 4,500 women and 200 active members

 - Development and management of Mentoring and Career Building Programs for high potentials and executives Development and management of qualification courses for managers and supervisory board members Labour market policy education measures for women Development of the

- women's vocational centre in Carinthia Lobbying / networking for women in social and economic policies

Bianca Tudor

Elite Business Women RO

Jury member - EIT Woman Award

I started my career at 19, working for a multinational company. My interest in leadership, young leaders, and female leadership started to take shape around the age of 22, when I joined the global organisation – Junior Chamber International. My drive and commitment have allowed me to become the Training and Personal Development Manager/Director of the organisation and later, one of its board members. 2012 I joined the Equality Pays Off initiative – a programme developed and implemented by/under the guidance of the European Commission, with activities taking place both in Bucharest and Vienna.

Leveraging my business experience gained during this time, combined with the valuable knowledge attained previously, I laid the foundations of what Elite Business Women is today, an international company for women entrepreneurs, in Romania, UK, Portugal, Belgium and Italy, counting 10 000 companies

Marta Turk

Head of Community of Slovenian Women Entrepreneurs Slovenia

Birgit Weidel

Head of Unit responsible for the SMEs, DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW), European Commission

Since June 2018, Birgit Weidel is heading the unit responsible for promoting the competitiveness of SMEs and designing SME support policies in the European Commission Directorate General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs.

Birgit joined the Commission in 2004. She has extensive experience in the internal market for goods and industrial policy. Before joining the SME unit, she served as Deputy Head of Unit in the advanced engineering industries, dealing with standardisation, digitalisation and trade negotiations. Previously, she worked as assistant professor at the Vienna University of Economics, where she conducted research on the external economic relations of the EU.

Birgit holds a law degree from the University of Vienna as well as a master degree in European Community law from the College of Europe in Bruges.

Sandra Weiss-Wallner

Sandra Weiß-Wallner - Innovation Region Styria, Policy Agenda

Sandra Weiß-Wallner, over 6 years of experience as project manager of Innovation Region Styria and involved in regional and EU projects as transnational project manager on strategic and operative level, in these projects she works on studies, analyses and policy papers, establishing of networks, setting up digital platforms and organisation of events.

Also, several years of experience in adult education - implementation of workshops and seminars for company executives and their employees for operational development and many years of professional experience in a management function in the development of sales and marketing strategies and in economic and financial consulting.

Ralitsa Zhekova

Executive Director, RAPIV, Project presentation

Dr Ralitsa Zhekova holds a PhD in Political Science. She is an Executive Director of RAPIV since 01.02.2017.

She has academic experience as a university professor for more than 20 years working in Bulgarian and foreign universities. Ralitsa Zhekova led more than 15 national and international projects under different programmes: FP6, FP7, INTERREG EUROPE, DTP, JOP Black Sea Basin 2007-2013, EEA Financial Mechanism, LLP, Erasmus+, etc.

She provided advisory and training services to some of the governmental and private institutions with particular emphasis on project management and negotiations.

She has been an external evaluator of some European programmes.

She is an author of 17 scientific publications.