Professionalisation
Better advice for female founders: University of Wuppertal launches new further education programme
Photo WES/University of Wuppertal
The aim of the two-day training course is to create a greater awareness of the complexity of gender relations in start-up counselling and to provide practical examples of a more gender-sensitive approach. Because studies show: Gender stereotypes, male-centred narratives and a lack of access to networks and capital mean that women are less visible in the business landscape. The proportion of female founders is currently only 18.8 per cent for start-ups and 36 per cent for new businesses.
More women for the start-up scene
"Start-up support can only develop its full potential if it takes into account different perspectives and realities of life," emphasises Professor Christine Volkmann. The scientist heads the Women Entrepreneurs in Science (WES) project at the University of Wuppertal, in which the new support programme was developed. "With the training and the tools it provides, we want to support start-up advisors in making their advisory services more gender-sensitive. In the long term, we want to contribute to increasing the proportion of women in the business landscape."
The training programme on gender awareness in start-up support combines scientific findings with practical methods that were intensively tested as part of the WES project. During the training, participants identify existing structural barriers and gender-related prejudices, deal with the target groups of prospective female founders, female founders and female managers, reflect on typical counselling processes and learn how to conduct two low-threshold counselling workshops. An accompanying brochure supports the sustainable anchoring of the findings and serves as a reference work.
Workshop dates from summer 2026
The first test run of the training programme at the end of March was a success. The programme, which is primarily aimed at start-up advisors at universities, will be held regularly from summer 2026. Anyone who would like to apply for the next training programme or register their interest can already do so on the training website. Registered participants will be regularly informed about new dates for the training programme.
Comments on the workshop
"Two days full of inspiring moments, full of networking, where we had plenty of opportunity to discuss the support of women in start-ups and where we were able to develop many new ideas together. I'm very grateful that we took a lot of methods with us and that WES did a lot of preparatory work for us and I'm looking forward to using them all."
"On the first day, I was able to reflect on a lot of details from an area that I actually work in and am familiar with on a daily basis, but it was just great to really reflect on things again and rethink them."
"Above all, I'm also taking the content from the workshops with me, i.e. actual building blocks that we can incorporate into our own workshops and use to adapt them again or even improve them if there is a need."
"What I take away from the workshop is that the scientific data can serve as a basis for us to further expand our own programmes for female entrepreneurship. For me, that's actually the most important aspect of why I'm here and why I'm taking part, simply to get another impression of what we can adapt and how, where we can improve our programmes and where we can refine our workshops, especially in the area of female entrepreneurship."
Workshop impressions
Photo WES/University of Wuppertal
Photo WES/University of Wuppertal
Photo WES/University of Wuppertal
About Women Entrepreneurs in Science (WES)
WES is a nationwide university network for female students, employees and graduates. The project addresses various target groups - from university employees in start-up centres and those interested in setting up a business to experienced female founders and female managers.
From July 2020 to February 2025, WES was funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia as part of the Start-up Centre.NRW initiative. Since March 2025, the project has been funded as WES+ as part of a pilot project by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.
