IMPACTA: First Online MAG Meeting

IMPACTA: First Online MAG Meeting

09.09.2026

As part of the IMPACTA – Innovation Hubs for Women’s Entrepreneurship project, the first meeting of the Multi-stakeholder Action Group (MAG) was held online on 9 September. The meeting brought together MAG members and project partners, with a focus on presenting the project, the role and responsibilities of the MAG, as well as upcoming activities and opportunities for members to contribute.

Through the IMPACTA project, the Association of Business Women in Serbia, together with partners from across the Danube Region, is working to develop practical and applicable models of support for women’s entrepreneurship and strengthen local ecosystems that can contribute to creating better conditions for women starting and growing their businesses.

The meeting was opened by Women Business Angels, followed by a presentation of the IMPACTA project, its main objectives and expected results by Katalin Oborni from the HETFA Research Institute. The online event was attended by Lija Stojković, Project Manager at the Association of Business Women in Serbia, as well as members of the Serbian IMPACTA Local Support Group – Mirjana Bogdanović from the Secretariat for Economy of the City of Belgrade and Dr Dušica Semenčenko, Secretary of the Association of Business Women in Serbia and researcher at the Mihajlo Pupin Institute.

A special part of the meeting focused on presenting the Multi-stakeholder Action Group (MAG) – a structure bringing together relevant stakeholders and enabling their involvement in the development and implementation of project activities. The roles, responsibilities and upcoming activities of the MAG were presented, along with the planned networking events in Chișinău, Moldova, to be held on 17 and 18 September 2026.

During the discussion, MAG members shared their expectations, opportunities for contribution and priorities for the coming period. In this way, the MAG serves as an important mechanism for connecting the experiences, knowledge and needs of different local stakeholders and involving them in the development of support for women entrepreneurs.

The IMPACTA project implements its activities through three interconnected strategic directions:

Strengthening local initiatives through research and capacity building focuses on making use of existing knowledge and experience, connecting territorial experiences, and strengthening cooperation between local stakeholders and project partners. Under this specific project objective, analyses, methodologies and training materials are being developed, alongside support for the work of local groups and the MAG network.

Testing pilot models involves the practical implementation of five pilot activities developed on the basis of research and the analysis of good practices. The pilots address different aspects of support for women entrepreneurs and investors: from digital and gamified tools and training programmes for women entrepreneurs, through training for investors with a social innovation perspective, to a mentoring programme and the development of Women Entrepreneurs’ Offices.

Developing models that can be applied in other contexts, stakeholder engagement and implementation support focuses on turning the experience gained through the pilot activities into models, strategies and action plans that can be adapted and applied in other territories. This direction also includes activities aimed at engaging relevant stakeholders, advocacy and dissemination of project results.

Next Steps

The first MAG meeting marks the beginning of the group members’ continued involvement in project activities. The next step will be the MAG networking event in Chișinău on 17 and 18 September, which will provide an additional opportunity for members to connect, exchange experiences and explore opportunities for future cooperation.

The IMPACTA project is implemented within the Interreg Danube Region Programme, with the aim of strengthening women’s entrepreneurship through innovative support models, cooperation among different stakeholders and the testing of new approaches across the Danube Region.