BY MARISOL MENÉNDEZ, FOUNDER AND CEO OF WITH
On November 19th we celebrate the International Women’s Entrepreneurship Day. Year after year this date is chosen by public and private entities to release statistics on the situation of women in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. However, time goes by and the studies and analyses rarely bring positive news. The situation does not always improve, and when it does, it does so slowly.
That is why this year we wanted to change the focus and ask women entrepreneurs who are part of the WITH ecosystem to share their perception of what it means to be a woman entrepreneur, how the business environment is changing from the perspective of inclusion and equality, and the challenges that still need to be resolved.
The landscape of female entrepreneurship has changed significantly in recent years. Today, women are conquering spaces in sectors where they were barely represented before. According to Betty Lepina, founder of Charm Hunters, “we have made progress in terms of the recognition of women entrepreneurs, but it is not enough. Access to financing is still more complicated for women and stereotypes still persist”.
This evolution has also brought with it support networks and visibility, as Fabia Silva, founder of Dronak Robotics, points out: “Today we are more visible, bolder and more globally connected”. However, the data still shows an imbalance. Lucía Chávarri, co-founder of Nubalis, points out that in her field, technology, “the percentage of women entrepreneurs has barely grown from 13% to 16% in the last decade. This reflects how much room for improvement there is still”.
On the other hand, gender barriers in financing are alarming. Sandra Montes, founder of ScrapAd, explains that, according to figures from the World Economic Forum, “women receive only 2% of venture capital funding globally. This is due to a lack of pipeline and the underrepresentation of women in the positions that decide these investments”.
The profile of a female entrepreneur: resilience, vision and collaboration
What makes a female entrepreneur stand out in such a competitive world? For many of the women interviewed, resilience is an essential quality. As Silvia Matesanz, founder of Inlight Lab, explains, “adaptability and resilience have allowed me to face challenges and changes with an open and proactive attitude”.
For her part, Esther Cid, of Tipscool and Talent Passport, stresses the importance of empathy and emotional intelligence. “Knowing how to generate a network of high-quality connections and maintaining a strategic vision is fundamental. In addition, creativity allows you to provide original solutions to conventional problems,” she says.
Other qualities such as courage and curiosity are also key. María Ángeles Martín Prats, from Skylife Engineering, sums it up: “You must be a brave, visionary person with knowledge of the market. Also, surround yourself with a good team to back you up”.
The power of sisterhood: a driver of change
Mutual support among women is an important topic of conversation, as women entrepreneurs have realized that the environment is not going to change on its own, so change must come from them working together. Betty Lepina stresses that “sorority in the business world has the power to change the game. Creating practical support networks and making achievements and challenges visible is crucial”.
Networks like WITH are an example of transformative collaboration. According to Ruth Zamorano, co-founder of OSOCO, Contestia and DynaClassroom, “women’s networks are essential. We support each other based on empathy and collaboration, which generates an authentic and significant impact”.
In addition, mentoring is presented as a powerful tool. Rocío Tornay, co-founder of Intelqualia, points out that “mentoring allows us to guide and support other women to achieve their goals. We must be vocal about the achievements of other women, because visibility generates inspiration and opportunities”.
Finally, inclusive initiatives that promote diversity and equity are key. As Silvia Matesanz explains, “spaces like WITH, Mujeres Tech and Women Lab Bilbao create a safe environment based on meritocracy and collaboration, empowering us both individually and collectively”.
Together towards a more inclusive future
The road to real equality in female entrepreneurship requires a collective effort. As Elena Peyró says, “I prefer to focus on all the progress we have already made. More and more women are taking the plunge into entrepreneurship and many of them are already becoming leaders”.
Inspired by the stories of women like these, it is essential to continue making achievements visible, eliminating barriers and building inclusive networks. Because, as Fabia Silva says, “when we unite, we create an exponential impact that benefits everyone”.