CONTEXT
Gender inequality is not only a pressing moral and social issue but also a critical economic challenge. If women—who account for half the world’s working –age population –do not achieve their full economic potential, the global economy with suffer.
1 Nearly one billion women with the potential to contribute more fully to their economies are constrained from doing so. Of these, 812 million live in developing countries where additional contributions are most needed. In addition to issues of economic fairness, the costs of leaving women out of economic participation are unacceptable. 2 According to INSTAT in Albania the percentage of women owners or administrators of active enterprises is 25.4%, while the percentage of men owners is 74.6%.3 This means women in Albania continue to be constrained from starting their own companies by a range of barriers including but not limited to education, stereotypes, lack of confidence and difficulties linked with funding and access to support services.
On the other hand, women have proved that with the right support have become successful
entrepreneurs able to play a significant role in producing jobs, wealth, reduce poverty etc.
This project will directly encourage Albanian women to set up their businesses by:
providing structured support for those who have an innovative idea with business potential;
assisting them step by step at validating their business idea;
developing an initial business model and business plan;
helping them to gain the necessary interpersonal competences to model their startup and to successfully enter the market.
This project will also contribute to improve the entrepreneurial ecosystem that provides
opportunities for all, promotes social cohesion and sustainable development.
Main aim of this project is to encourage the creation of successful women-led Starts- up in Tirana.
Specific objectives:
- To encourage women to follow and validate their business idea.
- To provide support and tailored based services for women -led start – ups in early stage.
- To qualify women entrepreneurs to found and manage a company of their own;
- To increase the number of sustainable women managed spin-offs;
OUR MODEL
Triple City is committed to promoting entrepreneurship by supporting and preparing new
entrepreneurs who have an innovative idea with business potential through:
assisting them step by step at validating their business idea;
business model planning and formalization;
developing business by analyzing technical and economic viability and entrepreneur profile.
Triple City, through the Business Terminal unit offers personalized training, mentoring and services
for businesses at all stages of their life cycle.
Pre-Incubation
In this stage, the journey of the entrepreneur starts from the idea and conceptualization phase and
goes all the way to the commercialization and testing of the product/service.
The goal of the Pre-Incubation phase is to help an individual to:
develop a viable business proposal;
develop an initial business model and business plan;
gain necessary competences;
build a team.
Incubation
Startups entering in the incubation phase should have developed their business plan and be ready to
take the necessary steps for registration. Startups accepted into incubator programs relocate to a
specific location to work with other companies in the incubator.
During this stage, startups will benefit from:
a shared space in a co-working environment,
additional mentoring,
connection to the local community.
Post Incubation
Post Incubation stage serves like business tools box and a holistic business advisory service,
resembling the traditional management consulting or mentoring, but adjusted to fit for the startups.
The main goal of the stage is to assist profitable ventures in order to get additional support such as
increase sales or improve its production processes.
Support provided in post incubation stage:
Profitable, credible venture
Credible and efficient team
Successful product or service
Technology commercialization
- On the focus of this project will be only the Pre-Incubation stage, with the below mentioned
activities.
PROJECT ACTIVITIES:
The project activities will be clustered around Pre-Incubation stage of Start-ups life cycle, where
women with a potential innovative idea will be invited to be part of the project and will be provided
with the necessary expertise to boost the chances to arrive to an effective start –up creation. The
project will start with the lunching of the call “WOMEN- LED STARTS – UP”, followed by one-
month promotional campaign that will target different audiences aiming to spread the word and reach
as much as possible women and girls, who aspire to become entrepreneurs. The call will be also
promoted widely through other communication channels such us: website, Facebook, Instagram,
mailing campaign etc.
A.1 SCOUTING (ONE WEEKEND)
At least 25 applications from women and girls will be selected for this phase. A set of trainings will
be provided for them aiming to increase their knowledge especially on topics such as: Business Idea
Presentation; Characteristics of Entrepreneurship, Opportunity Identification, Understanding
Customers etc. This activity will be concluded with the selection process of 12 applicants out of 25,
who are ready to continue with the next step.
A.2 BOOTCAMP (ONE WEEKEND)
On this phase the selected startups will be further trained to increase their competences on: How to
Choose the Right Business Model, Business Model Canvas, Entire Industry and Potential Market,
Analyze the Market Audience etc. The applicants training will be followed up with individualized
coaching and mentoring. Another selection process will take ground in this phase, 7 applicants who
performed better during the bootcamp will have the opportunity to be further supported in their
journey.
A.3 STARTUP WEEKEND (ONE WEEKEND)
This phase will be a combination of training, mentoring and coaching for the 7 start-ups selected from
the previews step. On this weekend the startups will be trained on topic such as: Calculating the
business start-up costs before the launch; Identifying the monthly start-ups expenses; Compile a full
financial picture and Finance your Business etc. Also, to be more motivated and to better understand
of the journey of an entrepreneur, successful women entrepreneurs will be invited to share their
history. This phase will be completed with another selection process, 5 start –ups will be chosen to be
part of the final step.
A.4 COMPETITION (ONE WEEKEND)
A set of trainings will be provided to the applicants even in this stage, aiming to increase their
capacity on topics such as: Define, Analyze & Seize a Market Opportunity, designing your Prototype
and Pitching etc. A professional jury4 will evaluate the finalist start-ups and will select three of them
who will have the possibility to receive a series of incubation stage services such as: co-working
spaces for 3 months and to benefit from services like; mentoring, coaching, networking etc.
4 The jury will be composed: Chairman of the Jury – a representative from Abi Bank, 2 members from Triple City, and
another member will be a successful woman in entrepreneurship.
PROJECT ACTIVITIES:
The project activities will be clustered around Pre-Incubation stage of Start-ups life cycle, where
women with a potential innovative idea will be invited to be part of the project and will be provided
with the necessary expertise to boost the chances to arrive to an effective start –up creation. The
project will start with the lunching of the call “WOMEN- LED STARTS – UP”, followed by one-
month promotional campaign that will target different audiences aiming to spread the word and reach
as much as possible women and girls, who aspire to become entrepreneurs. The call will be also
promoted widely through other communication channels such us: website, Facebook, Instagram,
mailing campaign etc.
A.1 SCOUTING (ONE WEEKEND)
At least 25 applications from women and girls will be selected for this phase. A set of trainings will
be provided for them aiming to increase their knowledge especially on topics such as: Business Idea
Presentation; Characteristics of Entrepreneurship, Opportunity Identification, Understanding
Customers etc. This activity will be concluded with the selection process of 12 applicants out of 25,
who are ready to continue with the next step.
A.2 BOOTCAMP (ONE WEEKEND)
On this phase the selected startups will be further trained to increase their competences on: How to
Choose the Right Business Model, Business Model Canvas, Entire Industry and Potential Market,
Analyze the Market Audience etc. The applicants training will be followed up with individualized
coaching and mentoring. Another selection process will take ground in this phase, 7 applicants who
performed better during the bootcamp will have the opportunity to be further supported in their
journey.
A.3 STARTUP WEEKEND (ONE WEEKEND)
This phase will be a combination of training, mentoring and coaching for the 7 start-ups selected from
the previews step. On this weekend the startups will be trained on topic such as: Calculating the
business start-up costs before the launch; Identifying the monthly start-ups expenses; Compile a full
financial picture and Finance your Business etc. Also, to be more motivated and to better understand
of the journey of an entrepreneur, successful women entrepreneurs will be invited to share their
history. This phase will be completed with another selection process, 5 start –ups will be chosen to be
part of the final step.
A.4 COMPETITION (ONE WEEKEND)
A set of trainings will be provided to the applicants even in this stage, aiming to increase their
capacity on topics such as: Define, Analyze & Seize a Market Opportunity, designing your Prototype
and Pitching etc. A professional jury4 will evaluate the finalist start-ups and will select three of them
who will have the possibility to receive a series of incubation stage services such as: co-working
spaces for 3 months and to benefit from services like; mentoring, coaching, networking etc.
4 The jury will be composed: Chairman of the Jury – a representative from Abi Bank, 2 members from Triple City, and
another member will be a successful woman in entrepreneurship.
PROJECT RESULTS:
- Encouraged Albanian women to pursue their career aspirations.
- At least 25 women will be provided with the opportunity to increase their knowledge on
entrepreneurship. - At least 3 women –led startups will be provided with the opportunity to scale up their
businesses. - Improved Albanian women chances and opportunities to enter in entrepreneurship industry.
- Boosted the entrepreneurial ecosystem in first in Tirana and then throughout Albania.