After a 4-month period, a 115-hour asynchronous and a 35-hour synchronous training, the journey of the training programme of the WINBIZ: Women’s Innovative Business Incubation Zone European project, was completed for the 67 participating migrant women, residing in Greece, one of the six (6) project partner-countries (Greece, Portugal, Italy, Romania, North Macedonia and Germany). The training programme was part of the WINBIZ project deliverables, which was implemented by the DAISSy research group of the Hellenic Open University (HOU), as the Greek partner.

The WINBIZ business competition was the culmination of the completion of the training programme, where all trainees in the partner-countries, were invited to take part. More specifically and with regard to the WINBIZ activities in Greece, after applying for participation and receiving the extensive support of the trainers i.e. Elena Tzamouranou, Maria Britzolaki and Sofia Melissourgou, the contestants designed their business plans and presented their ideas on Monday 20th  May 2024, in a dedicated  online event through the zoom online platform.

Their hardships were many. The multiple roles (mother, wife, employee) and the stereotypical treatment they have been experiencing due to their migrant background, could have been an obstacle to the completion of this journey. However, in all the “obstacles” they saw business opportunities with multiple social benefits. Specially, Natalia, Irina, Sabrina, Vilma, Olesia, Kira, Ira and Kletia shared their entrepreneurial vision and the ways in which they aim to turn it into an innovative business with social impact, before a three-member jury, with representatives from DAISSy-HOU, InterMediaKT and MOSAIC, as follows:

• Adessa Zadia, Education & Youth Officer- InterMediaKT
• George Sarlis, Co-Founder- MOSAIC
• Konstantinos Potsis, Project Manager-DAISSy Research Group & Founder of iNNOVact Business Consultants

Subsequently, the jury evaluated the business ideas, based on criteria related to Innovation, Feasibility, Value Proposition, Target Market Analysis, Scalability, Resources-Budget Allocation, and Potential-Impact and selected the three (3) winning ideas, those of Vilma, Ira and Sabina & Irina.

It is noteworthy that the “prize” for the winners is their participation in a specially designed transnational business incubation workshop (WIZ-Women’s Incubation Zone), which will take place on 3-9 July 2024, in Bevagna (Italy). An additional twelve (12) migrant women from the other five WINBIZ project partner countries will participate in it, with the aim of receiving further entrepreneurial support and guidance not only from professional mentors, but also from female migrant role models, in the light of their successful entrepreneurial journey, in their countries of residence. The workshop is planned so as to coincide with the successful Social Ηackathon Umbria, and thus to give the opportunity to participate in it, also to the female migrants who will take part in the WINBIZ workshop.

DAISSy-HOU wishes to thank all the contributors of the above long journey in the WINBIZ project, especially the participating migrant women, as well as the organizations InterMediaKT, MOSAIC, Dock and iNNOVact Business Consultants, who supported the whole initiative.

It is noteworthy that the WINBIZ project focuses on business training and support for migrant women from non-EU countries with medium-high levels of education, aiming at the acquisition and development of personal, horizontal and specific skills, necessary for their full integration and reintegration into the European labour market, thus creating prosperity both for themselves and for the society they live in.

The WINBIZ is a three-year project co-funded by the ERASMUS+ European program and implemented by a consortium of six (6) partners representing six (6) European countries (Greece, Portugal, Italy, Romania, Republic of North Macedonia and Germany), with the DAISSy Research Group of the HOU, being the Greek partner.

For more information on the WINBIZ project, and other activities of DAISSy:

• Website: http://daissy.eap.gr/en, https://www.winbizproject.eu/
• Facebook: @DAISSyResearchGroup, @winbizproject
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daissyresearchgroup/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/winbizproject/
• Twitter: @daissy_research
• Instagram: @daissy_researchgroup
• Email: info@daissy.eap.gr

The DAISSy research group of the Hellenic Open University (HOU) invites to the info day entitled « Entrepreneurship as a tool for inclusion:  The case of the WINBIZ project», to be organized within the framework of the implementation of the WINBIZ: Women’s Innovative Business Incubation Zone, European project, currently undergoing by DAISSy as the Greek partner. The activity takes place on Wednesday 5 June 2024 at 18.00, in Patras («Vyzantino» Hotel, address: 106 Riga Fereou str.), providing also the possibility of online participation, through the zoom electronic platform.

Specifically, the event is addressed to business support organisations, migrant support organisations, civil society organisations, business incubators, business consultants, business education providers, etc., as well as migrants who are looking for ways to integrate/re-integrate into the European labour market.

The event focuses on the role that entrepreneurship can play in the process of broader integration of migrant women/migrants (economic, social, etc.) in their countries of residence, introduces the specificities of social economy and entrepreneurship, and explains how the developed deliverables of the WINBIZ project can facilitate the path to entrepreneurship and ultimately to integration.

In parallel, the event is linked to the ALL DIGITAL Weeks 2024 campaign, which aims to promote digital skills for inclusion, empowerment and employment across Europe. Specifically, the campaign runs from 13 May to 31 May 2024 and is organized by the ALL DIGITAL network. DAISSy-HOU is a member of the AD network and the National Coordinator of the ALL DIGITAL Weeks 2024 campaign, supporting this initiative, encouraging the participation of other stakeholders and enhancing the promotion and dissemination of relevant good practices in Greece, achieving multiplier effects.

More precisely:

• Read the agenda of the event.
• Participation is free of charge and open to all
• Pre-registration is not needed
• Online participation is available through the Zoom electronic platform, by using the following link

It is noteworthy that the WINBIZ project focuses on business training and support for migrant women from non-EU countries with medium-high levels of education, aiming at the acquisition and development of personal, horizontal and specific skills, necessary for their full integration and reintegration into the European labour market, thus creating prosperity both for themselves and for the society they live in.

The WINBIZ is a three-year project funded by the ERASMUS+ European program and implemented by a consortium of six (6) partners representing six (6) European countries (Greece, Portugal, Italy, Romania, Republic of North Macedonia and Germany), with the DAISSy Research Group of the HOU, being the Greek partner.

For more information on the WINBIZ project, and other activities of DAISSy:

• Website: http://daissy.eap.gr/en, https://www.winbizproject.eu/
• Facebook: @DAISSyResearchGroup, @winbizproject
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daissyresearchgroup/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/winbizproject/
• Twitter: @daissy_research
• Instagram: @daissy_researchgroup
• Email: info@daissy.eap.gr

The DAISSy Research Group of the Hellenic Open University (HOU) invites migrant women coming from non EU member-states and residing in Greece, to participate in the online training programme on entrepreneurship, provided by the WINBIZ: Women’s Innovative Business Incubation Zone European project, with DAISSy-HOU as the Greek partner. The training programme aims at the development and acquisition of personal, transversal and specialised skills necessary for the full integration or reintegration of migrant women into the European labour market through entrepreneurial initiatives.

The course has been designed to provide the knowledge, skills and support that migrant women need to overcome obstacles and succeed in their business endeavours. The ultimate goal of the course is to empower participants to become leaders and drivers of innovation and change in their communities, while promoting sustainable development and social cohesion.

More precisely:

The course is provided online through the WINBIZ e-learning platform developed by DAISSY-HOU.

It is free of charge and is conducted in Greek, with the option of accessing the training material also in English.

It starts on 29th January 2024.

It includes the following 7 modules:

• Module 1. Entrepreneurship and Social Entrepreneurship
• Module 2. Strategy, Sustainable Development & Business Planning
• Module 3. Technology, Innovation & Social Innovation
• Module 4. Marketing, Social Marketing & Sales
• Module 5. Financial Management & Social Financing
• Module 6. Leadership, Ethical Leadership & Communication
• Module 7. Legal Issues, Funding Opportunities & Support Structures

Participation is free and can be done by submitting the expression of interest form [here] until 19/01/2024.

The WINBIZ is a three-year project funded by the ERASMUS+ European program and implemented by a consortium of six (6) partners representing six (6) European countries (Greece, Portugal, Italy, Romania, Republic of North Macedonia and Germany), with the DAISSy Research Group of the HOU, being the Greek partner.

For more information on the WINBIZ project, and other activities of DAISSy:

• Website: http://daissy.eap.gr/en, https://www.winbizproject.eu/
• Facebook: @DAISSyResearchGroup, @winbizproject
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daissyresearchgroup/, https://www.linkedin.com/company/winbizproject/
• Twitter: @daissy_research
• Instagram: @daissy_researchgroup
• Email: info@daissy.eap.gr

The DAISSy research group of the Hellenic Open University (HOU) successfully organized the Learning, Training, Teaching Activity (LTTA) of the European project “WINBIZ: Women’s Innovative Business Incubation Zone” that that took place on June 6, 7, and 8 2023 in Patras, Greece. The activities were carried out on-site at the facilities of the Hellenic Open University. The WINBIZ project targets migrant women or women with a non-Western background, with medium-high levels of education, in a training pathway aimed at enabling the acquisition and development of personal, transversal and specific competencies and skills necessary for their full integration/ reintegration in the European labour market, thus generating well-being for themselves and for the society they live in.

The three-day Tutor Training, involved twenty five (25) participants being adult education trainers working in the field of entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship and or linked to the refugee/migrant context and representing five (out of six) partner countries of the WINBIZ project, namely: Portugal, Greece, Germany, Romania, Republic of North Macedonia. They had the opportunity to be introduced to the project and its completed as well as ongoing activities, such as the WINBIZ Social Report, the WINBIZ Trainer’s Toolkit and the forthcoming WINBIZ Course on Entrepreneurship and Social Entrepreneurship. Participants were trained on engagement and communication practices within a blended learning environment specifically focused on migrant women, with inclusiveness and diversity training being high on the training priorities. Interactive activities, games, energizers and other engagement technics took place, in order to prepare the trainers for the delivery of the WINBIZ Training Course to migrant women.

The DAISSy Research Group of the HOU, Greek partner of WINBIZ, facilitated the Tutor Training and provided training sessions on “Dealing with setbacks/ how failing helps us evolve in our practice”, performed energizers and interactive activities, and presented the curriculum of the WINBIZ Training Course. It was represented by Mr Kontantinos Potsis, DAISSy Project manager, and Mrs Elena Tzamouranou, DAISSy Reseacher. DAISSy-HOU participates in all work packages, being responsible for the implementation of the e-learning platform and the coordination of the pilot training program of the project.

The WINBIZ is a three-year project funded by the ERASMUS+ European program and implemented by a consortium of six (6) partners representing six (6) European countries (Greece, Portugal, Italy, Romania, Republic of North Macedonia and Germany), with the DAISSy Research Group of the HOU, being the Greek partner.

For more information on the WINBIZ project, and other activities of DAISSy:

• Website: http://daissy.eap.gr/en, https://www.winbizproject.eu/
• Facebook: @DAISSyResearchGroup, @winbizproject
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daissyresearchgroup/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/winbizproject/
• Twitter: @daissy_research
• Instagram: @daissy_researchgroup
• Email: info@daissy.eap.gr

The second transnational project meeting of WINBIZ: Women’s Innovative Business Incubation Zone was successfully organized on 3-4 November 2022 in the premises f thr Hellenic Open University in Patras, Greece.

The representatives of the project’s partner organizations – Apsu – Associacao portuguesa de startups from Portugal, European Grants International Academy SRL from Italy, Bildungsgesellschaft Gemeinnutzige GMBH from Germany, C.E.S. Academy from the Republic of North Macedonia, Association For Social Innovation from Romania and members of the DAISSy Research Group of the Hellenic Open University (ΗΟU) from Greece – discussed the project’s current state and next steps, regarding management and financial issues, project results dissemination plan and quality assurance.

Moreover, there were presentations and discussions regarding the main project results and guidelines on the proper implementation and finalization of the project’s deliverables, like WINBIZ Social Report, WINBIZ Trainer Toolkit, WINBIZ Training course and WINBIZness Plans catalogue.

The WINBIZ project, which is co-funded by the Erasmus + Programme 2021-2027, involves migrant women or women with a non-Western background, with medium-high levels of education, in a training pathway aimed at enabling the acquisition and development of personal, transversal and specific competencies and skills necessary for their full integration/ reintegration in the European labour market, thus generating well-being for themselves and for the society they live in.  The main objective of the project is to encourage the higher qualification of adult migrant women with a medium or high level of education through training and coaching, allowing them to acquire and develop personal, transversal, and entrepreneurial skills and abilities necessary for their inclusion in the labour market, promoting their empowerment and social integration, so that they can produce wealth for themselves and society. Through educational training, WINBIZ intends to promote women’s social self-entrepreneurship to generate systemic impact and contribute to the promotion of a sustainable, inclusive, and innovative civic economy model.

For more information about the project and the other activities of DAISSy research group:

• Website: http://daissy.eap.gr
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daissyresearchgroup/
• Facebook: @DAISSyResearchGroup
• Twitter: @daissy_research
• Instagram: @daissy_researchgroup
• Email: info@daissy.eap.gr

In the frame of the Skills Development and Employability Support pillar of the «Harmonising Protection Practices in Greece» (HARP), ASB hosted the DAISSy Research Group – Dynamic Ambient Intelligent Sociotechnical Systems of the Hellenic Open University (HOU) – for an info-session on Women entrepreneurship, with the support of DG HOME and in cooperation with IOM.

The info-session took place on 31/08/2022 at ASB’s premises in Ioannina and was addressed to women from migrant and refugee backgrounds, who had the opportunity to be informed about the benefits of entrepreneurship and especially social entrepreneurship, and how it can enhance their social and economic integration prospects.

The members of the DAISSy research group of the Hellenic Open University presented the upcoming project activities of:

• WINBIZ: Women’s Innovative Business Incubation Zone (https://www.winbizproject.eu/ ), which involves migrant women or women with a non-Western background, with medium-high levels of education, in a training pathway aimed at enabling the acquisition and development of personal, transversal and specific competencies and skills necessary for their full integration/ reintegration in the European labour market through entrepreneurship, thus generating well-being for themselves and for the society they live in.
• REInSER: Refugees’ Economic Integration through Social Entrepreneurship,

with main objective the improvement of the economic, and consequently wider, integration of refugees in host societies of the ADRION programme area by using approaches of social economy and in particular social entrepreneurship and by tapping the potential of networking and knowledge transfer of transnational as well as cross-sectional cooperation of key stakeholders.

, which are co-funded by the Erasmus + Programme 2021-2027 and the the Interreg ADRION Programme, respectively.

Video of the Info-Session:

For more information about the project and the other activities of DAISSy research group:

• Website: http://daissy.eap.gr
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daissyresearchgroup/
• Facebook: @DAISSyResearchGroup
• Twitter: @daissy_research
• Instagram: @daissy_researchgroup
• Email: info@daissy.eap.gr

The DAISSy research group of the Hellenic Open University participates in the activities of the new project entitled “WINBIZ—Women’s Innovative Business Incubation Zone”, which is co-funded by the Erasmus + Programme 2021-2027.

The WINBIZ project (with a duration of 24 months) involves migrant women or women with a non-Western background, with medium-high levels of education, in a training pathway aimed at enabling the acquisition and development of personal, transversal and specific competencies and skills necessary for their full integration/ reintegration in the European labour market, thus generating well-being for themselves and for the society they live in.  The main objective of the project is to encourage the higher qualification of adult migrant women with a medium or high level of education through training and coaching, allowing them to acquire and develop personal, transversal, and entrepreneurial skills and abilities necessary for their inclusion in the labour market, promoting their empowerment and social integration, so that they can produce wealth for themselves and society. Through educational training, WINBIZ intends to promote women’s social self-entrepreneurship to generate systemic impact and contribute to the promotion of a sustainable, inclusive, and innovative civic economy model.

On February 24^th and 25^th, 2022, the kick-off meeting of the WINBIZ project was delivered with physical presence of the partners in Espinho Portugal, hosted by APSU from Portugal, Coordinator of the project. The first project meeting was dedicated to an overview on the WINBIZ project, the proposal submitted and previous agreements among partners. The project meeting was dedicated to networking, project management, administrative, financial aspects, quality evaluation, and reporting obligations of all partners. It was a great help for the partners in order to properly understand the deliverables of the project, such as the WINBIZ Social Report, WINBIZ Trainer Toolkit, WINBIZ Training course and WINBIZness Plans catalogue.  In addition, the meeting clearly defined the work plan and tasks to be implemented by each partner.

The results of WINBIZ have been designed to produce relevant outcomes in terms of direct and indirect impacts, as far as innovation is produced and the exchange of know-how between the involved organisations active in the education and training sector is promoted, and the social inclusion/empowerment of women and migrants is achieved.

For more information about the project and the other activities of DAISSy research group:

• Website: http://daissy.eap.gr
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daissyresearchgroup/
• Facebook: @DAISSyResearchGroup
• Twitter: @daissy_research
• Instagram: @daissy_researchgroup
• Email: info@daissy.eap.gr

Project Partners

• Apsu – Associacao portuguesa de startups, Portugal
• European Grants International Academy SRL, Italy
• Bildungsgesellschaft Gemeinnutzige GMBH, Germany
• E.S. Academy, The Republic of North Macedonia
• Hellenic Open University, Greece and its DIASSy Research Group
• Association For Social Innovation, Romania