Women in business from Albania take center stage at the Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO satellite event

The two-day programme featured sessions on funding strategies for women-led businesses, cost-saving and efficiency tips, digital transformation and e-commerce, and new marketing approaches through artificial intelligence (AI).

Kumrije Bejrushi, an artisan business owner specializing in traditional costume embroidery, a business she founded seven years ago, shared that the EXPO provided her with tools for growing her business. “Although I left two days of work to attend the EXPO this year, I gained so much - tremendous satisfaction and a wealth of information that fills crucial gaps we face,” Bejrushi expressed.

Like Bejurshi, many women entrepreneurs have built sustainable businesses through passion, dedication, and sacrifice, supporting their families or fulfilling specific market needs. Data from Albania reflects a positive trend in women entering entrepreneurship.

“In Albania, 30 percent of businesses are owned and run by women. While we hope to see more women-led business in the future, women entrepreneurs are already making important contributions to the economic and social development of the country. In addition, the fact that 90 percent of women-led businesses have between one to four employees tells us that women’s economic participation is directly connected to the well-being of the communities they live in”, stated Michele Ribotta, UN Women’s representative in Albania, during the event's launch.

Nevertheless, since most businesses run by women are small, family-owned enterprises, this also highlights the challenges they face in growing and scaling their businesses. Supporting women entrepreneurs is a priority for the Albanian government, which is currently negotiating EU membership.

“30 percent is a statistic comparable to Europe and many other countries. However, it seems we are stuck at that threshold. This year, we launched a call to support innovative startups. Women comprised 29 percent of the winners, even though we allocated extra points for applications from women. We couldn’t surpass that 30 percent threshold. We must explore new initiatives to ensure progress in these figures next year,” remarked Delina Ibrahimaj, the Minister of Entrepreneurship and Business Climate.

During the two-day EXPO satellite event, six rural women entrepreneurs particularly benefited from EXPO sessions. Meliha Zyberaj, an artisan business owner specializing in traditional costumes from Vau i Dejës, a small municipality in northern Albania, shared that the event was an extraordinary opportunity, especially for rural women, to establish valuable connections and exchange ideas. “We gained tangible benefits for our products. Compared to last year, there was more detailed information on online sales and e-commerce, which are essential tools for advancing our business,” Zyberaj mentioned.

On the other hand, Mukadez Gjona, who runs a traditional products business in Pogradec, shared that over these two days, she connected with companies involved in food distribution. “Over these two days, I exchanged contact details for future collaboration and learned many new things. I also met other artisans from Vau i Dejës, Shkodra, and Gjirokastra,” Gjona concluded.

The event was organized by UN Women Albania in close collaboration with key public institutions dedicated to women’s entrepreneurship and startups, the European Bank for Construction and Development, the Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and private sector companies. This satellite event was part of a series of activities within the regional Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO 2024.