Womenpreneur Initiative

What Womenpreneur Initiative does

Womenpreneur Initiative is a Brussels-headquartered Belgian non-profit organization (ASBL) founded in 2016 by Sana Afouaiz, dedicated to the economic empowerment of women in Belgium and the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region through entrepreneurship and STEM-focused programming. The organization directly serves two primary segments: women entrepreneurs across the MENA region (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Qatar) seeking business acceleration, and young women aged 18-30 in Belgium pursuing digital skills, career readiness, and entrepreneurship pathways. A secondary institutional client base includes corporations (e.g., VINCI Energies), governments, and international organizations (United Nations, ONU Femmes, European Commission, Union for the Mediterranean, Council of Europe) that procure consultancy, training, and gender-mainstreaming policy advisory services.

The product portfolio consists of nine distinct programs. The technology backbone is the Womenpreneur Digital Hub (womenpreneur-digital.com), a virtual community platform for MENA women providing job vacancies, scholarships, online courses, competitions, workshops, and mentorship matching, alongside the WeMentor online mentorship platform (12-month mentor commitments, monthly meetings) and the Mediterranean Tech Women Network (MTWN) virtual platform. Programmatic offerings include GenerationW (6-month accelerator), WeMentor (STEM mentorship under WeMentorHer collective with DUO For a Job and Futureus), Womenpreneur Tour (multi-country MENA touring initiative launched 2019), MTWN Festival (annual Mediterranean festival), Digital School for Women (smartphone/tablet repair vocational training with Fondation pour l'Inclusion Digitale), Womenpreneur Market (Brussels annual marketplace), Women in Action (Belgian parliamentary leadership program), and Womenquake (gender-debate movement). The organization delivers programs through in-person training hubs, digital platforms, and an events portfolio exceeding 500 events with 500k+ cumulative outreach.

The business model is non-profit and largely free-to-beneficiary. Core programs are provided at no charge to participants and are funded through grants, donations, and institutional partnerships. Monetized revenue streams are limited to professional services: consultancy on female entrepreneurship and gender issues for corporations and international organizations, customized training and capacity-building workshops, policy writing and gender-strategy development, and public speaking engagements (keynotes, moderation, panels). The organization reports no disclosed revenue, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no funding rounds, operating instead on institutional grant capture and partnership-driven funding from a roster that includes European Commission, GIZ, VINCI Energies, Equal Brussels, SANAD Entrepreneurship Academy, and the US Embassy.

Name

Womenpreneur Initiative

Legal name

Womenpreneur ASBL

Website

https://womenpreneur-initiative.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Womenpreneur Initiative is a Brussels-based Belgian non-profit (ASBL) founded in 2016 that delivers entrepreneurship accelerators, STEM mentorship, digital-skills training, and gender policy advisory to women entrepreneurs and young women in Belgium and the MENA region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women Entrepreneurship & Gender Equality Programs

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment (BPAGABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAD), Education, Skills & Workforce Development Aid Programs (BPADABAE)

Keywords

• Women entrepreneurship programs
• Gender equality consulting
• STEM mentorship services
• Business accelerator training
• Policy advisory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Consultancy Services: Consultancy services provided to corporations and international organizations on female entrepreneurship, gender issues, social impact, and inclusion and diversity.
2. Training & Capacity Building: Customized workshops and training programs delivered to organizations and institutions targeting gender mainstreaming and women's economic participation.
3. Policy Writing & Gender Strategies: Policy writing and gender strategy development services for organizations, including gender mainstreaming strategies, gender information management systems, and gender equality action plans.
4. Public Speaking: Keynote speaking, moderating, and panel participation at conferences and events focused on women in tech and entrepreneurship.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Womenpreneur Initiative delivers training programs, mentoring, accelerator cohorts, awareness campaigns, networking events, and policy/consultancy services to economically empower women entrepreneurs and young women in Belgium and the MENA region. It also operates community platforms, including the Womenpreneur Digital Hub and WeMentor, and provides institutional consultancy on female entrepreneurship, gender mainstreaming, and inclusion and diversity to governments, international organizations, and corporations.

Product overview

Womenpreneur Initiative is a Belgian non-profit organization (ASBL) founded in 2016, headquartered in Brussels, focused on economically empowering women in Belgium and the MENA region through entrepreneurship and STEM. Its portfolio centers on the Womenpreneur Digital Hub—a virtual community for MENA women—alongside flagship programs including WeMentor (mentorship for STEM), GenerationW (a 6-month accelerator for women entrepreneurs), the Womenpreneur Tour (MENA country-by-country engagement), the Mediterranean Tech Women Network (MTWN) Festival (annual Mediterranean tech networking), Digital School for Women (vocational digital repair training), Womenpreneur Market (Brussels women entrepreneur marketplace), Women in Action (political leadership for young Belgian women), and Womenquake (a gender-debate movement). Core service offerings encompass public speaking, customized training and mentoring, policy writing, and consultancy. The organization has supported over 13,000 women across 20 countries since its founding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GenerationW: Accelerator program launched in 2020 to support female entrepreneurs in Brussels during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
• WeMentor
• Womenquake
• MTWN (Mediterranean Tech Women Network)
• Womenpreneur Digital Hub
• Womenpreneur Market
• WEurope

Products and services

• Womenpreneur Digital Hub A virtual community platform for women in the MENA region providing access to training, expert mentorship, networking, and opportunities such as job vacancies, scholarships, online courses, competitions, and workshops.
• WeMentor

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported 13,000+ women in 20 countries since 2016
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WEgatecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 January 2018Womenpreneur Initiative officially joined WEgate, a European platform providing women entrepreneurs information and resources to start and grow businesses. Womenpreneur serves as representative for women entrepreneurs in MENA region and Europe.
• Arab Business Leaders (ABL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 October 2016Womenpreneur and Arab Business Leaders signed a Memorandum of Understanding to foster women's empowerment in the MENA region. Partnership focuses on developing business initiatives for women by providing access to networks and finance for women entrepreneurs through leadership and mentorship programs.
• North South Centre of Council of EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 September 2016The North South Centre of Council of Europe recognizes and supports Womenpreneur Initiative, focusing on fostering female entrepreneurship in MENA and strengthening the bridge between Europe and MENA for women's empowerment.
• MC Academy for International Legal StudiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint Action Women Empowerment in The MENA Region - partnership focusing on enhancing effective participation of women in business and entrepreneurship in MENA, including the legal profession.
• Women in BusinessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomenpreneur and Women in Business partner to empower women to take their leadership to the next level. Both organizations share a common vision for women's future and collaborate on supporting women entrepreneurs in Brussels.
• VINCI Energies BelgiquecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to address the lack of women in STEM sectors. Joint campaign to recruit young women for technology positions at VINCI Energies, including documentary production and awards for STEM students.
• SANAD Entrepreneurship AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on assessing the impact of COVID-19 on female entrepreneurs in MENA region through joint survey and policy paper development. Partnership includes Mediterranean Tech Women Network Festival co-hosting.
• Friedrich Naumann Foundation MadridminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized Mediterranean Women Tech Week 2020, providing networking opportunities for Mediterranean women and introducing new voices to the debate on women's participation in tech and innovation.
• MujeresTechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized Mediterranean Women Tech Week 2020 together with Friedrich Naumann Foundation Madrid.
• Union for the Mediterranean (UfM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Mediterranean Tech Women Network Festival, working to bridge the gap in knowledge and capacity between EU and non-EU countries and strengthen transnational economic collaboration.
• Center of Arab Women for Training and Research (CAWTAR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Mediterranean Tech Women Network Festival, contributing expertise on Arab women's issues and regional collaboration.
• Womenpreneur Digital Hub PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital School for Women partnership with Fondation pour l'Inclusion Digitale providing smartphone and tablet repair training.
• GoogleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization supporting women in tech and entrepreneurship initiatives.
• MicrosoftminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization providing support for women in technology programs.
• Flat6LabsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTunisian startup accelerator collaborating on entrepreneurship ecosystem development.
• ThinkYoungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth organization partnering on awareness and education initiatives.
• Bruxelles FormationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting Womenpreneur Tech Program and training initiatives in Brussels.
• Equal.brusselsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting gender equality initiatives in Brussels workplace.
• Lady Godiva InitiativeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAwarding organization recognizing organizations promoting gender equality.
• MicrostartminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in WeFund program providing financing services and support to women entrepreneurs.
• BECI (Brussels Enterprises Chamber of Commerce)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting women entrepreneurs through advocacy and networking in Brussels business community.
• Women in Business - hub.brusselsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in WeFund program providing resources and support to women entrepreneurs.
• AIESECminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth leadership organization partnering on international development initiatives.
• ZainminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTelecommunications company supporting women in tech initiatives in MENA.
• DUO For a JobcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of WeMentorHer collective providing mentorship services to women in STEM.
• FutureuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of WeMentorHer collective working to facilitate women's participation in STEM sectors.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cherie Blair Foundation for Women: Global non-profit that supports women entrepreneurs in low- and middle-income countries through training, mentoring, and mobile-app tools (e.g., MentHER). Direct overlap with Womenpreneur's women-entrepreneurship training and WeMentor mentoring mandate.
• Vital Voices Global Partnership: International non-profit investing in women leaders across business, politics, and human rights, with mentoring, training, and networks. Highly comparable to Womenpreneur's GenerationW accelerator, mentorship, and global partnerships (UN, World Bank-adjacent) model.
• WEConnect International: Global membership network certifying women-owned businesses and connecting them to corporate and institutional buyers, with a strong MENA and Belgium presence. Direct functional overlap on women entrepreneurship support, corporate D&I partnerships, and capacity-building.
• Women for Women International: Non-profit providing training, mentoring, and economic empowerment for marginalized women globally, including in MENA. Comparable delivery model to Womenpreneur's training/mentoring and digital-platform approach for women entrepreneurs.
• MujeresTech (Women in Tech - Spain): Iberian and Latin American community for women in technology offering mentoring, events, and visibility for female tech talent. Already co-organized Mediterranean Women Tech Week with Womenpreneur and operates in an adjacent Mediterranean network.

Regional players

• WomenLift Health / WomenLift US: Non-profit running leadership and mentoring programs for women in health, science, and tech; comparable in structure (mentoring cohorts, global network, public-facing convenings), though more specialized sector focus than Womenpreneur's broader women-in-tech and entrepreneurship mandate.

Broad incumbents

• AFD (Agence Française de Développement) - Gender in Practice: French bilateral development agency with a sizable gender equality and women's economic empowerment portfolio, including MENA programming. Operates as a large incumbent donor and policy actor in the same space as Womenpreneur's institutional consultancy work.
• UN Women: UN entity dedicated to gender equality and women's empowerment, with global programs, partnerships, and policy advisory. Overlaps with Womenpreneur's policy advisory and MENA economic empowerment work and frequently appears as a partner or potential competitor for institutional funding.

Emerging players

• Flat6Labs: Tunisia- and MENA-headquartered early-stage accelerator and seed investor. Already listed as a Womenpreneur partner and provides comparable startup-acceleration infrastructure that competes for similar founder cohorts in the same geographies.
• SANAD Entrepreneurship Academy: MENA entrepreneurship training and venture-building program; existing Womenpreneur partner in COVID-19 impact studies and MTWN festival. Direct overlap on MENA entrepreneurship training and talent-development programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/womenpreneur1
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUJFH5uZpKZiwjxfND0LoEw
• Facebookfacebook.com/womenpreneurinitiative
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/womenpreneur-initiative
• Instagraminstagram.com/womenpreneur.belgium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Womenpreneur Initiative