The University of Thessaly is thrilled to announce that two esteemed members of its academic community, Dr. Evmorfia Bataka and Dr. Anastasia Fountouli, have been selected to proceed to the second phase of the international programme Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) 2025. This initiative is implemented by EIT Food in collaboration with the organization A Woman Can Be.
This success follows the preparatory informational event organized by the University, which is part of its strategy to foster start-up entrepreneurship, innovation, and the enhancement of women’s presence in the agrifood sector.
The Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) programmme takes place in 13 countries, including Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Albania, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Poland, and Estonia. It aims to empower women with innovative business ideas or those in the early stages of developing their start-ups (established from 2022 onwards).
The selected candidates will receive six months of support, which includes:
- Online training,
- Personalized mentoring,
- Access to networks of investors, experts, and established entrepreneurs,
with the aim of accelerating their business maturity and further developing their ideas.
The program culminates in a final pitching competition, where participants will present their business proposals in Athens and compete for a cash prize of up to €10,000. The first-place winner will receive €10,000, while the second-place winner will receive €5,000.
Promoting female entrepreneurship and showcasing women’s potential in the agrifood sector are strategic priorities for the University of Thessaly. The program and its activities are strongly supported by the Rector of the University, Professor Charalambos Billinis, and the Vice-Rector of Innovation, Internationalization, Collaborations and Digital Governance, as well as Head of One Planet Thessaly, Professor Chrysi Laspidou, , who actively promote the equal participation of women in innovation, research, and entrepreneurship.
The University of Thessaly extends its heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Bataka and Dr. Fountouli on their success and wishes them every success in the continuation of the programme, confident that they will serve as examples of female innovation, leadership, and social contribution in the agrifood sector.