Momentum, a project partner in the WeRin project, recently celebrated its 20th-anniversary event on the 1st of February 2023 in Drumhierny Woodland Hideaway, Co. Leitrim. The event celebrated the company and its female founder, Orla Casey, who has worked in Ireland and across Europe in various areas such as rural regeneration, sustainability, upskilling, education innovation, funding securement, and strategic planning.
One of the highlights of the event was a presentation by Samantha Carty, the EU Project Specialist, on women in leadership and an overview of the WeRin project. After introducing the WeRin project main goals, Samantha challenged the audience to think of entrepreneurs and inspiring role models. She proposed that while most people might immediately think of Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, or Alan Sugar, it is necessary to think of the many inspiring female entrepreneurs like Oprah or closer to home in Ireland Darina Allen, Orla Kiely, and of course, Orla Casey of Momentum.
This led nicely into showcasing the work of the 14 project partners, who have scanned the current situation regionally across Europe and presented female role models as changemakers for inspiration. Momentum highlighted the Good Practices that led to the creation of a set of guiding Principles, which are being used to develop a the one-stop-shop WeRin Knowledge Port platform for female entrepreneurs and universities. This platform will support and guide innovative and inclusive entrepreneurial learning approaches.
By increasing the share of female graduate entrepreneurs in entrepreneurship education and support programs by 20%, WeRin aims to improve the diversity of entrepreneurship and create more opportunities for women to succeed. By providing inspiring role models and a supportive learning environment, the WeRin project is helping to break down the barriers that have traditionally prevented women from becoming entrepreneurs.
In conclusion, Momentum’s event provided an excellent opportunity to share the work of the WeRin project and the importance of increasing the share of female graduate entrepreneurs in entrepreneurship education and support programs. With the activities undertaken the WeRin project will continue to support and guide innovative and inclusive entrepreneurial learning approaches, ensuring that women have the resources and support they need to succeed in the world of entrepreneurship.
