Swedish Institute She Entrepreneurs Program for Women 2024

She Entrepreneurs is a recognised leadership programme for young emerging women social entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) and Sweden. Intended for women who have already started to build a social business, She Entrepreneurs offers participants a chance to take their social business initiative to a whole new level.

The She Entrepreneurs programme is an intensive programme with a full-day schedule and many evening activities and all selected participants have to commit to participating in all activities of both module 1 and 2.

About Swedish Institute

The Swedish Institute is a public agency that encourages interest and trust in Sweden around the world. We operate in the fields of culture, education, science and business in seeking to strengthen ties and promote development. We build up lasting relations between Sweden and other countries with a view to enhancing Sweden’s attractiveness. We build up lasting relations between Sweden and other countries with a view to enhancing Sweden’s attractiveness. To this end, we disseminate information, develop skills, promote cultural exchange and cooperation, and provide funding.

Aim and Benefits of She Entrepreneurs Program

She Entrepreneurs participants will build on their knowledge of business elements, from branding to risk-taking. The programme offers a competitive advantage as participants develop their own social business initiative and acquire personal skills and innovative tools.

The programme also allows women entrepreneurs to meet, inspire each other and share experiences on common challenges. Participants will emerge with a strong and active network of likeminded women who support each other in driving important changes in society.

Requirements for She Entrepreneurs Program Qualification

To apply for Swedish Institute She Entrepreneurs Program you have to:

Have the drive, ambition and interest to use social entrepreneurship to implement a social business initiative that you have already started working on
Your social business initiative should be based and implemented in your country of citizenship or in one of the countries of the She Entrepreneurs programme listed above
Be between 20 and 36 years old
Have a good working knowledge of both written and spoken English.

Interview date, Process and Venue for She Entrepreneurs Program

Selection Criteria:

A selection committee consisting of staff from the Swedish Institute as well as representatives from partner organisations and field experts evaluates the applications according to the following criteria:

Applicant’s social business initiative that will be the focus of the programme
Applicant’s drive, motivation and commitment, as well as her answers to the questions of the She Entrepreneurs application form
Assessment of the applicant’s CV.

Selection Process:

Around 60 shortlisted applicants are called for interviews as a second step in the selection process. The interviews are conducted through Skype. This offer is valid only under the condition that the participant obtains a visa to travel to Sweden. SI will facilitate the visa application process, but cannot guarantee a visa. In recent years, applicants living in conflict-ridden areas have in a few cases seen their visa applications rejected.

She entrepreneurs will accept references who speak English, Arabic and French.