Association of Business Women in Serbia

What Association of Business Women in Serbia does

The Association of Business Women in Serbia (Udruženje poslovnih žena Srbije, UPŽ) is a Belgrade-based non-profit association founded in 1998 and self-described as the largest national organization of women entrepreneurs in Serbia. It serves approximately 300 direct member entrepreneurs and 900+ associated members from partner organizations, providing networking, mentoring, advocacy, and training for women business owners, women in peripheral industrial regions, and girls pursuing ICT careers. The organization is led by President Dr Sanja Popović Pantić and operates under the DBA 'UPŽ' / 'UPŽ Srbije'.

UPŽ delivers its services through a portfolio of programs: e-Mentoring (online mentoring platform), e-Savetodavni centar / e-Counseling Center (a multi-disciplinary center with seven specialized clinics covering Legal, Labor Market Access, HR, Finance, Business Processes, IT, and Psychosocial Support), LEPA Preduzetnička Akademija (entrepreneurship training academy), e-IBWC (international business women connection, including an e-IBWC Malta initiative), Ženski biznis klub / Women's Business Club (regular networking forum since 2007), the 'Cvet uspeha za ženu zmaja' annual award competition (20th edition in 2026), and 'Dan devojčica u IKT sektoru' / Girls in ICT Day. The underlying technology stack is conventional web publishing rather than a proprietary product platform.

The revenue model combines recurring membership fees, training and education program fees, and substantial project grants from European programmes (Interreg Europe, Interreg Danube Region, HORIZON WIDERA, Erasmus+, Cross-border Cooperation Serbia–North Macedonia), plus institutional support from the Government of Serbia, City of Belgrade, Serbian Chamber of Commerce, EBRD, GIZ, and UN Women. UPŽ also chairs the Women Entrepreneurship Sector Group within the Enterprise Europe Network since May 2015. Financial figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Association of Business Women in Serbia

Legal name

Udruženje poslovnih žena Srbije

Website

https://poslovnezene.org.rs

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Association of Business Women in Serbia (UPŽ) is a Belgrade-based non-profit founded in 1998, serving 300+ direct and 900+ associated women entrepreneur members through e-Mentoring, multi-clinic e-Counseling, training academies, EU-funded projects, and advocacy as Serbia's largest national women-entrepreneurs association.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADAGAF

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Human Rights, Democracy & Governance

SECONDARYBPADAMAE

SME & Entrepreneurship Development (Trade-Linked)

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Trade & Economic Development

SECONDARYEDABANAM

Founder/Entrepreneur & Family Business Executive Coaching

Education/Corporate Training & Professional Development/Executive Coaching Services

SECONDARYBPADAKAC

Teacher Training, Professional Development & Education Leadership

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Education & Skills Development Programs

Keywords

• Women entrepreneurship association
• Business networking services
• Mentorship programs
• Entrepreneurship training
• Professional membership association

Headquarters

HQ city

Belgrade

HQ country

Serbia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Revenue from membership fees paid by women entrepreneurs and businesses joining the association
2. European Project Funding: Funding received from European Union programs including Interreg Europe, Danube Region Programme, HORIZON WIDERA, and Erasmus+ for implementing women's entrepreneurship development projects
3. Training and Education Programs: Revenue from LEPA Preduzetnička Akademija and other training programs for entrepreneurs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Association of Business Women in Serbia is a non-profit membership association that delivers mentoring, multi-disciplinary e-counseling, entrepreneurship training, international networking, and advocacy services to women entrepreneurs and small business owners in Serbia. Its core service programs include e-Mentoring, the e-Counseling Center (with eight specialized clinics), the LEPA Preduzetnička Akademija, e-IBWC, and the Ženski biznis klub, supplemented by the annual Cvet uspeha award and EU-funded capacity-building projects.

Product overview

The Association of Business Women in Serbia (UPŽ) is a non-profit membership organization, not a commercial product company. Its core offering consists of service programs for women entrepreneurs including: e-Mentoring (online mentoring platform), e-Savetodavni centar (multi-disciplinary e-counseling center with 8 specialized clinics), LEPA Preduzetnička Akademija (entrepreneurship training academy), e-IBWC (international business women connection platform), and the Ženski biznis klub (Women's Business Club networking platform). The organization also runs international European-funded projects (WIN, WE.Circular, WOMEX, STREAM IT, CBC, IMPACTA, WINnovators) focused on women's economic empowerment. Annual programs include the 'Cvet uspeha za ženu zmaja' award competition and 'Dan devojčica u IKT sektoru' girls in technology initiative. Publications and online catalogs support knowledge sharing among members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• e-Mentoring Online mentoring service connecting experienced business women with entrepreneurs seeking guidance and professional development support. For women entrepreneurs and members of the association.
• e-Counseling Center (e-Savetodavni centar) Multi-disciplinary e-counseling service with eight specialized clinics: Legal Clinic, Labor Market Access Clinic, HR Clinic, Finance Management Clinic, Business Processes Clinic, IT Clinic, and Psychosocial Support Clinic. For women entrepreneurs and association members.
• LEPA Preduzetnička Akademija Entrepreneurship training academy offering structured professional development programs for women entrepreneurs. For members and aspiring women entrepreneurs in Serbia.
• e-IBWC (e-International Business Women Connection) International networking platform connecting Serbian business women with counterparts abroad, with national initiatives including e-IBWC Malta. For association members seeking international business connections.
• Cvet uspeha za ženu zmaja (Flower of Success for the Dragon Woman) Annual award and business competition recognizing successful women entrepreneurs in Serbia, now in its 20th edition. For women entrepreneurs and businesses seeking visibility and recognition.
• Dan devojčica u IKT sektoru (Girls in ICT Day) Annual initiative encouraging girls to pursue careers in information and communication technology, part of the international Girls in ICT Day observances. For school-age girls, educators, and ICT employers.
• Ženski biznis klub (Women's Business Club) Regular member networking section established in 2007 for member gatherings, exchange of experiences, and dialogue about challenges and opportunities for women in business. For association members.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• UN WomencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership for gender equality and women's empowerment initiatives in Serbia
• German Development Cooperation / GIZcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for women's entrepreneurship development programs in Serbia
• Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on business development and promotion of women entrepreneurs
• Government of Serbia / Cabinet of the Prime MinistercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment support for women's entrepreneurship initiatives and policy advocacy
• City of BelgradecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal support for women's business development in Belgrade
• Regionalna agencija za razvoj i evropske integracije Beograd (RAREI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in WOMEX project for women in export-oriented SMEs; joint implementation of European projects
• Enterprise Europe Network (EEN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPŽ chairs the Women Entrepreneurship Sector Group within EEN since May 2015, with representatives from 16 European countries

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Women's Enterprise Organizations of Canada (WEOC): Canadian umbrella association coordinating regional women-entrepreneur organizations across provinces. Closely comparable as a federation serving women business owners with training, mentoring, and government-funded programming.
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO): US-based national membership association for women business owners providing networking, education, advocacy, and policy voice. Directly comparable as a national women-entrepreneur association with similar service lines (mentoring, training, awards).

Broad incumbents

• Federation of Small Businesses (FSB): UK-wide membership organization for small business owners and self-employed, providing training, advisory, and advocacy. Comparable membership-association model serving small business owners with policy voice in Europe.
• European Women's Lobby: Pan-European umbrella of women's rights organizations with policy advocacy focus. Overlaps with UPŽ's advocacy work and European institutional access, but oriented toward rights/policy rather than entrepreneurship specifically.
• Vital Voices Global Partnership: Global nonprofit supporting women entrepreneurs and leaders through mentoring, training, and networks across 100+ countries. Comparable international women-empowerment platform, but at much larger scale and broader geographic scope than UPŽ.
• Cherie Blair Foundation for Women: International foundation focused on women's economic empowerment in developing regions, offering mentoring and skills training. Similar training/mentoring delivery model but global scope and grant-funded like UPŽ.

Regional players

• Initiative for Women in Business (IWB) - Kosovo: Kosovo-based association supporting women entrepreneurs in the Western Balkans with training and networking. Directly comparable as a neighboring Balkan women-business association targeting a similar member profile.

Others

• Enterprise Europe Network (EEN): EU-funded network helping small businesses access EU markets, partnerships, and innovation. UPŽ chairs EEN's Women Entrepreneurship Sector Group, making EEN both a partner and the structural platform through which UPŽ operates internationally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-of-business-women-in-serbia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Association of Business Women in Serbia