TOP Women in e-business: 5th edition of the largest educational and social program for women successfully concluded

The 5th jubilee edition of the TOP Women in e-business program has ended – the largest free educational program in Poland that supports women in building and developing online businesses. The initiative, launched by the Kobiety e-biznesu Foundation five years ago, attracts more and more participants each year, expanding with new educational areas and complementary initiatives.

This year's edition saw the participation of 200 women, selected from over 700 applications from all over Poland and abroad. So far, the Foundation has trained over 1200 participants, offering them not only practical knowledge about the market and the latest tools used in e-business, but also access to a community of women who have previously completed the Program and are successfully realizing their business projects.

– In each subsequent edition, we observe how the needs of women in business change. The growing interest in e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and new technologies shows that women not only want to develop but are doing so very consciously. Our program helps them in this process, offering knowledge, practice, and a sense of belonging to a community that supports and genuinely helps in developing further initiatives – says Anna Heimberger, President of the Kobiety e-biznesu Foundation.

Who are the TOP Women participants?

The program gathers women of various ages and at different stages of their careers. The youngest participant was 18 years old, and the oldest – 64. The average age is 40 years, which is a three-year increase compared to the previous edition. This is a clear signal that women with more professional experience are also joining the program.

As many as 58% of participants live in cities with fewer than 500,000 inhabitants – including 16% in towns up to 499,000, 26% in cities under 100,000, and 16% in smaller towns and villages. Nearly 58% of them plan to launch their own e-commerce business, and 23% already run a business. Every second participant is currently employed full-time.

– In this edition, we particularly appreciated the diversity of women who applied for the program – both in terms of age and experience. A common denominator for all was immense motivation and readiness to act. This shows that women from all over Poland – regardless of their place of residence or stage of life – are ready to develop digitally and professionally – emphasizes Dorota Bachman, Board Member of the Kobiety e-biznesu Foundation.

Practical workshops and unique meetings

All workshops generated great interest. Participants also appreciated new elements of the program, responding to current market needs. Not only expert presentations enjoyed great interest, but also training on setting up social media campaigns, workshops on coping with stress, led by experts from Allegro, and classes on using AI in developing online business.

The culmination of the program was the TOP Women Gala, where participants had the opportunity to listen to inspiring conversations with special guests – Marta Mikliszańska, Director of Public Policy at Allegro Group, and Katarzyna Zdanowicz, a journalist and well-known presenter who has supported the Foundation's activities once again. Both shared inspiring observations on professional development, challenges they encountered along the way, and reflections on how to act effectively, wisely, and with passion.

Building the future of women in e-business together

We are behind an edition full of inspiring stories, new knowledge, and practical skills. Ahead of us are more – with even greater energy, courage, and commitment. The Kobiety e-biznesu Foundation is already announcing the continuation of the TOP Women in e-business program and its development with new thematic paths and tools responding to the challenges of the digital market.

We extend our sincere thanks to the partners of the 5th edition of the program, without whom the implementation of this undertaking would not have been possible. It is thanks to their commitment that TOP Women in e-business can develop, reach new groups, and respond to the real needs of women across Poland.

Among the partners supporting the 2024 edition were:

  • VISA
  • Allegro
  • Ceneo
  • Hebe
  • Ziaja
  • Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH)
  • Simon-Kucher
  • Polish Cashless Foundation
  • Przelewy24
  • Izba Gospodarki Elektronicznej (Chamber of Electronic Economy)
  • Message Flow
  • Sky-Shop