To strengthen the female entrepreneurial ecosystem and initiatives promoted by women. This is the objective of the new program launched by Foment del Treball and the Consulate General of the United States in Barcelona. Both institutions have partnered to promote Jump Startup for Women in Deeptech, which will grant 20 scholarships to projects led by women and linked to the field of health and biotechnology.
The initiative includes as a differential element a mission to Boston so that entrepreneurs can learn firsthand about experiences and practices promoted from the American city, consolidated as a hub for health technology worldwide. The objective of this four-day trip will also be to establish international connections and build networks between both cities and their entrepreneurial ecosystems.
In addition to this trip to intellectual and innovative Boston, the program will include various masterclasses over four months. It will culminate with a Demo Day to connect with investors, companies in the sector, and institutions, in an initiative that aims to "become a window to the future of medicine and research," according to Foment's Innovation Director, Maria Mora. The also coordinator of the initiative has expressed confidence that the program "represents a revolution in female entrepreneurship in Catalonia" that will catapult Catalan entrepreneurs to the "center of the world stage."
The program was born after Foment and the US Consulate launched an academy for startups led by women three years ago, as highlighted by Foment's Secretary General, David Tornos. The program responds to the "decisive commitment to empower Catalan entrepreneurs and connect them with the American ecosystem," emphasized the US Consul General in the Catalan capital, Katie Stana.
New investment line from Ona Capital
The recently launched program, which has the collaboration of Acció, Level, Tech Barcelona, and the law firm RCD, is part of a context in which female talent must be valued in all areas, including entrepreneurship. With the same purpose, the venture capital firm Ona Capital has created a specific initiative to invest five million euros in technology-based projects promoted by women.
Under the name D-ONA, Ona Capital's project represents a new investment line for the entity, formed by Grup Bon Preu and Benito. The initiatives will have a European geographical scope, although with a special focus on Catalonia. Those selected will obtain an average financing of 100,000 euros, which can be complemented in subsequent rounds.
This program aims to contribute to normalizing female leadership in the business and technological fields, promoting equal opportunities. The objective of the initiative is to invest in scalable projects with a technological base and in an initial phase, in a context where only 20% of entrepreneurs in Spain are women.
"We want to break these access barriers and contribute to creating a startup ecosystem with equal opportunities," said the commercial director of Grup Bon Preu, Anna Font. The general director of Benito, Andrea Carandell, agreed on the importance of promoting female leadership through this new investment line, "a project that aims to invest with a gender perspective."