SheGenerateHu: testing ambassador-based outreach for women-led enterprises

The pilot will test a structured peer-based outreach and engagement mechanism aligned with an existing EDIOP Plus (GINOP Plusz) mentoring scheme implemented by SEEDSmall Business Development Foundation.
The current scheme provides non-financial mentoring support to micro and small enterprises, including women-led businesses, mainly through standard outreach channels such as public calls and institutional communication.
The pilot introduces an innovative delivery element, inspired by the Irish Good Practice (GP) “SheGenerate”, which applies a peer-based outreach model through women entrepreneur ambassadors. This type of structured peer-based outreach has never been applied before within the EDIOP Plus mentoring scheme with a specific focus on women.
The pilot will test whether ambassador-based outreach can improve awareness, perceived accessibility and uptake of mentoring services among early-stage women-led enterprises, particularly those not yet reached by existing support mechanisms.
The pilot will include the following activities:
-Selection of 15 women entrepreneur ambassadors
-A 2-day training programme for ambassadors (mentoring basics, outreach and communication skills)
-Organisation of 8–10 ambassador-led outreach sessions targeting women entrepreneurs.
-Implementation of 6 thematic workshops (business development, digitalisation, green transition, financial readiness, networking and growth strategies) by STRIA.
-Involvement of 25 women-led micro and small enterprises.
Data will be collected throughout the pilot to assess engagement, participation and perceived accessibility of support services. Results will be analysed to evaluate the effectiveness of the outreach model as a complementary element to existing mentoring support.
The pilot focuses on testing a delivery innovation that will improve the EDIOP Plus scheme, which is currently running, rather than introducing a new support scheme.