The U.S. Embassy in Sofia is proud to announce a new initiative in support of women entrepreneurs in Bulgaria. The State Department’s Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) and the Asen Zlatarov University in Bourgas are launching a new project called the American Business Academy for Women, to help young women who are starting their own businesses.

The American Chamber of Commerce is partnering to the initiative by providing mentorship from leading U.S. companies.

The Academy will take place in Burgas from September 2020 to January 2021. It is expected that the initiative, if successful, will expand to other cities.

About Academy for Women Entrepreneurs

The  White  House-led  Women’s  Global  Development  and  Prosperity  (W-GDP)  initiative  is  designed  to  empower  women  worldwide  to  fulfill  their  economic  potential  and,  in  doing so, create conditions for increased stability, security, and prosperity for all. The target is to reach 50 million women by 2025 by  promoting an enabling environment that reduces barriers and facilitates women’s participation in the economy.

To augment the existing slate of projects focused on women’s economic empowerment, the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) has established the  Academy  for  Women  Entrepreneurs  (AWE),  a  new  program  supporting  women  entrepreneurs around the world. In 2020, over 4,000 women in 51 countries will participate in AWE.

AWE in Bulgaria

The Asen Zlatarov University in Burgas will be the first to launch the AWE program in Bulgaria. More than 150 women at different ages have applied for the first cohort. Up to 30 of them will be invited to participate in the facilitated training from September 2020 to January 2021.

AWE  uses  DreamBuilder,  an  online  training  program  on  women’s  entrepreneurship  developed  through  a  partnership  between  Arizona  State  University’s  Thunderbird    School   of   Management   and   global   copper   mining   company   Freeport-McMoRan,   which  teaches  women  to  create  their  own  business  plans,  understand  how  to  raise  capital,  and  connect  with  networks  of  successful  business  owners. The Asen Zlatarov University in Burgas will provide venue for the in-person training, IT equipment and support, and lecturers to facilitate the study of the DreamBuilder’s 15 modules. One hour of each session will be dedicated to mentoring by external speakers.