Empowering women entrepreneurs in 360 degrees

Friday 10 March 2017 18:43
Thai-UK researchers team up to empower and strengthen women entrepreneurship skills in business strategy, access to finance and market, and leadership through practical research and innovation.

Bangkok University School of Entrepreneurship and Management (BUSEM) and Cambridge University supported by Newton Fund, British Council and National Science Technology and Innovation Policy Office (STI) are organising a public conference titled "Women Entrepreneurship Conference Bangkok 2017 (WECB2017)" on 3 April 2017. The conference aims to strengthen and share best practices and knowledge of women entrepreneurship based on research and innovation. The speakers are from forefront women leaders in government and private sectors.

The conference also brings together leading researchers of business background, Thai and international women entrepreneurs, as well as public and private stakeholders. As its name implies, the event addresses the global issue of gender gap in entrepreneurship through presenting novel research, exchanging experiences of local to international entrepreneurs that ultimately leads the improvement of global businesses.

Building on the success of WECB2015, the two partnering researchers create a platform for exchanging knowledge, drawing from the fact that there are more well-established females entrepreneurs than male counterparts in South East Asia and especially in Thailand, as well as for deepening the partnership between institutions and nations. This three-day conference is packed with engaging topics, including women entrepreneurship in business, science, technology and innovation sustainable business models and strategies gender, identity and leadership case studies focusing on female entrepreneurs in East Asia and the UK

The conference invites both Thai and international distinguished guests; Dr. Atchaka Sibunruang, Minister of Science and Technology, Thailand; Miss Roongchat Boonyarat, Director and Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing, Malee Sampran Thailand; Miss Kamolwan Vipulakorn, Managing Director, the Erawan Group Thailand; and Dr. Ulrike Guelich, an established female entrepreneur in IT and automotive industry and the 5-year leading researcher of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor project (GEM) in Thailand.

Andrew Glass, Director of British Council Thailand says, "Supporting women entrepreneurship is undoubtedly a positive and practical choice. Our mission is to create opportunity worldwide, and by supporting and empowering women, we help further gender equality, which is crucial to creating an inclusive and sustainable economies and societies."

Under the Newton Fund Researcher Links' Workshop co-funded by the Thailand Research Fund (TRF), managed by the British Council (Thailand), the first WECB was held back in June 2015, also by BUSEM (Dr. Koson Sapprasert, Director of Research at the time) and Imperial College London, UK (Prof. Erkko Autio). As part of the 40 Thai-UK participants, Dr. David Achtzehn (BUSEM) and Dr. Shima Bakarat (Cambridge University) met and formed collaboration. Through the Newton Fund Institutional Links co-funded by the The National Science Technology and Innovation Policy Office (STI), also managed by the British Council (Thailand), the idea of expanding the field became a reality.

The Women Entrepreneurship Conference Bangkok 2017 will be held on 3rd – 5th April, 09.00 am, at Bangkok University - School of Entrepreneurship and Management (BUSEM).

The conference is opening for public on 3 April 2017. For more information about the conference, please visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/womens-entrepreneurship-conference-bangkok-tickets-31407797568

Ticket fee: 250 THB

For more information about the project, please [email protected]