ING and Visa expand the She’s Next program to accelerate the growth of women-led businesses

ING Bank Romania and Visa, in collaboration with Impact Hub Bucharest, announce the second edition of the She’s Next program, aimed to support the development of women-owned businesses through personalized mentoring sessions, coaching and grants.   The She’s Next program kicks off in May this year with a training phase consisting of a series of free webinars on current topics. Women entrepreneurs interested in the program can now sign up here: She’s Next 2025.   The She’s Next competition will then be launched in September, with prizes totaling EUR 60,000. Three of the ten finalists will win one of three grants: first place –  EUR 30,000, second place – EUR 20,000 and third place – EUR 10,000.   From May until October 2025, at the She’s Next webinars participants will be able to: learn how they can use critical thinking to make business decisions from Radu Atanasiu (Associate Dean at Bucharest International School of Management) – May, 23; deepen the advantages of using artificial intelligence tools in business growth from Tudor Galos (entrepreneur and trainer) – June, 6; develop their leadership skills with Manuela Ciugudean (professional coach and personal brand strategist) – June, 12; understand the financing opportunities available to SMEs from Florin Ilie (Deputy CEO & Head of Business Banking ING Bank Romania) and discover how to effectively use digital marketing tools from Carmen Mihalca (founder of Antreprenoare.ro).   “Small and medium-sized businesses are an essential link in Romania’s economic performance and ING Bank aims to be a long-term partner for their healthy development. Looking at our client portfolio, small and medium-sized businesses that access the right financing, on average, manage to generate more business and have a higher profitability rate. We stand by women entrepreneurs and offer them the support and resources they need to grow their businesses – from personalized mentoring, coaching and grants, to relevant webinars and access to a community ready to support them with ideas and solutions. Our mission is to give them the confidence to take the next step in their business. We are convinced that innovation and entrepreneurship are in women’s DNA and, more importantly, that supporting them through mentoring and funding programs such as She’s Next will contribute to the growth of the SME sector in Romania” – Luana Sorescu, Head of Easy Banking, ING Bank Romania.    “Our experience from the first She’s Next program in Romania has shown us how important it is to support female entrepreneurs not only with funding, but also with access to mentoring, exchange of ideas and a supportive community. We learned that the challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in Romania and around the world are diverse, from a lack of resources and digital skills to difficulties in scaling up a business. That is why this year’s edition comes with solutions better adapted to local realities. At Visa, we believe that innovation, digitization and collaboration are key to developing an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. Programs such as She’s Next, tested and validated in numerous other markets, can make the difference between a business stagnating and one that grows sustainably. We are delighted to continue this endeavor with ING and Impact Hub to help strengthen women’s leadership in Romania,” said Elena Ungureanu, Visa Country Manager in Romania.   Applications for the She’s Next program will take place from September 8 to October 22, 2025, and Romanian female entrepreneurs will be able to apply for grants totaling EUR 60,000, mentoring sessions and personalized coaching. They will also benefit from access to a valuable community with other women entrepreneurs who can support them with ideas and solutions. “Only 8% of startup founders in Romania are young women, while 75% are men – a reality confirmed by a report carried out as part of a women accelerator program developed by Impact Hub Bucharest. Starting from this discrepancy, the She’s Next program is a catalyst for female courage and initiative. It’s about women, regardless of age, turning their ideas into impactful businesses. Accelerator programs like this one are designed to give them the confidence to step into the game and make their mark in the Romanian business environment – and beyond,” said Oana Craioveanu, CEO & Co-Founder Impact Hub Bucharest.   For the finalists, the 1-on-1 sessions with experienced mentors will focus on their specific business and development needs. In the group coaching sessions, they will be able to interact with the whole community of female entrepreneurs and together they will find solutions to common problems or maybe even launch new initiatives together. Moreover, they will benefit from the wide exposure and visibility offered to their business.   To be eligible to participate in the program, the only conditions are: to have a business already established and for the business to be majority owned by women (at least 51%).   (Photo:https://ing.ro/informatii-utile/Antreprenoarele-castigatoare-la-She-s-Next-2024)