The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) in Naples: an important initiative for Women's Empowerment

The first edition of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), an initiative of the U.S. State Department, aimed at supporting women and girls in creating and/or developing entrepreneurial endeavours, is starting.

The University of Naples Federico II will be the Italian partner of the Academy, which offers a completely free program of online classes on the Dreambuilder platform of the Thunderbird School of Global Management at the University of Arizona, integrated at the University of Naples Federico II with mentorship sessions, pitch competitions, guest speaker talks, collaborations with incubators, and networking events with U.S. Exchange Alumni and business leaders.

The first Italian edition will give 30 women the opportunity to join the international program.

Applications are open until 20 October 2023. The information, the call, and the form to apply are available on the official website.

The aim of the project

The primary goal of this program is to promote economic independence for women and to contribute to reducing the gender gap in the entrepreneurial sector. Responsible for the edition for Italy at the Federico II University is Daniela Terracciano. The venue for the program will be the San Giovanni a Teduccio Campus.

Target audience

The project is aimed at:

• students enrolled in Italian universities,

• recent graduates and/or professionals aspiring to start a business,

• women with newly established enterprises or with an advanced business plan but insufficient resources,

• immigrants or refugees residing in Italy with limited socio-economic resources or applicants whose project involves immigrant or refugee entrepreneurs.

Upon completing the AWE program, participants will join the network of US Exchange Alumni and will have access to international funding opportunities.

To apply for AWE Italy, simply fill in the “My Business Idea Form” and submit it by 20 October 2023, optionally including a video of up to 2 minutes on the business idea. Applicants can participate alone or as part of a team and will be assessed based on the following criteria:

• motivation and commitment to participate in the program;

• feasibility and innovation of the proposed business idea.

Preference will be given to business ideas with social or environmental impact or aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda. The selection process will include a review of admission requirements, evaluation of the entrepreneurial initiative and the candidate's profile, and a motivational interview with an assessment of the English language level.

Here is the full announcement to download.