CoLABOR is part of the FEMENA partner network – FEMale ENtrepreneurs in Asia: Innovation, Policies, Challenges and Opportunities, an international research and training network funded by the Horizon Europe program, which brings together 20 partners — 10 European and 10 Asian, including 8 non-academic organizations — with the aim of mobilizing cutting-edge knowledge on women's entrepreneurship.
The course, lasting 48 months, is developed under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) program.
Encompassing countries such as Laos, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, the network embraces female entrepreneurship as a strategic driver for promoting gender equality, sustainable economic growth, and social transformation.
With a multidisciplinary team comprised of researchers from nine scientific fields and seven non-academic organizations, FEMENA analyzes how women entrepreneurs in Asia and Europe overcome obstacles, access resources, and contribute to shaping their societies.
The project will support 80 researchers through international postings, interdisciplinary training, and engagement with policymakers, promoting the production and transfer of applied knowledge.
The four planned phases of deployments will culminate in the development of an integrated methodological framework, based on Amartya Sen's capabilities approach, reinforcing an analysis focused on women's real opportunities to realize their entrepreneurial potential.