30 Sep IMPACTA: Introductory Train-the-Trainers Meeting Held in Serbia
30.09.2026
IMPACTA: Train-the-Trainers Meeting Marks the Start of Pilot Activities in Serbia
On 30 September 2026, the Association of Business Women in Serbia (ABW Serbia) hosted the introductory Train-the-Trainers meeting within the IMPACTA project – Innovative Mentoring and Policies for Empowering Women in Business through Change and Transformation.
The meeting marked an important step towards the implementation of the project’s pilot activities in Serbia and brought together ABW Serbia representatives, trainers and relevant stakeholders, with the aim of establishing a common understanding of the IMPACTA approach, methodology and tools that will be further applied and adapted during the pilot phase.
IMPACTA is implemented within the Interreg Danube Region Programme by a consortium of eight partners from seven countries – Serbia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia, Ukraine, Moldova and Germany. The project runs from April 2025 to March 2028, with ABW Serbia serving as the project partner in Serbia.
The project focuses on developing and testing new models of support for women in entrepreneurship through innovative mentoring, networking, skills development, digital tools and stronger connections with investors. Five pilot models are being developed and tested, including digital tools for young women entrepreneurs, training programmes for women entrepreneurs, training for investors and business angels, a mentoring programme, and the development of Local Offices and Information Centres supporting women entrepreneurs.
From preparation to pilot implementation
Following the preparatory phase, IMPACTA is now entering its pilot implementation phase, during which the project partners will test different support models and gather practical experience that will contribute to the development of recommendations and approaches that can also be used beyond the lifetime of the project.
For ABW Serbia, this includes working with different target groups and involving relevant stakeholders in the development and testing of pilot activities. The target groups include young women, women from rural areas, women from minority and other vulnerable groups and women with limited professional networks.
The Train-the-Trainers meeting is not designed as a traditional training programme. Instead, it provides an opportunity for participants to build on their existing experience of working with women entrepreneurs and different target groups, while becoming familiar with the IMPACTA methodology and the common framework that will guide the implementation of the pilots.
Three thematic areas for supporting women entrepreneurs
The training framework is structured around three interconnected thematic areas:
- Mindset & Ideation – supporting women in recognising opportunities, developing business ideas and taking the first steps towards testing them;
- Incubation & Acceleration – helping women transform ideas into viable business models, test them and develop their businesses;
- Stakeholder Collaboration & Ecosystems – connecting businesses with people, institutions, markets, networks, expertise, financing and other relevant resources.
The common methodological framework and its tools can be adapted to different target groups and stages of entrepreneurial development. A key principle discussed during the meeting was that support should start from the needs of the participant, rather than from a predefined tool. The stage of development, specific needs and the context of the target group should guide the choice of support.
Connecting expertise with IMPACTA pilots
The meeting also explored how the expertise of trainers and other participants can contribute to the project’s pilot activities, particularly Pilot 3 – the Programme for Investors and Business Angels and Pilot 4 – the Mentoring Programme, as well as Pilot 2.
Topics relevant to the investor-focused pilot include gender-smart investing, gender perspectives in investment processes, barriers and biases, the potential of women entrepreneurs, the role of business angels and the assessment of business and investment opportunities. Practical exercises such as “Walk in My Shoes” will also be used to encourage participants to understand the perspectives and expectations of both investors and women entrepreneurs.
The mentoring pilot will focus on individualised support, mentor-mentee matching, goal setting, addressing concrete business challenges, monitoring progress, peer learning and networking.
Stakeholders as an important part of the process
An important element of today’s introductory meeting was the participation of stakeholders, whose experience and expertise will contribute to the implementation of the pilot activities.
Among the participants were members of ABW Serbia’s senior Golden Club, a network bringing together experienced women entrepreneurs and businesswomen. During the meeting, a representative of the Golden Club highlighted the willingness of its members to contribute their knowledge, experience and expertise to supporting future training activities within IMPACTA.
Their involvement demonstrates the importance of connecting different generations and experiences within the entrepreneurial ecosystem and creating opportunities for knowledge exchange and peer support.
Today’s meeting therefore brought together three important groups – ABW Serbia representatives, trainers and stakeholders – creating a foundation for further cooperation during the pilot phase.
Through the IMPACTA project, ABW Serbia will continue to contribute its experience in supporting women entrepreneurs while testing new approaches to mentoring, training, networking and stakeholder cooperation. The practical lessons and experiences generated through the pilot activities will contribute to the project’s wider recommendations for strengthening support for women in entrepreneurship across the Danube Region.