Munich Startup: Please briefly introduce yourself and “Women Start-up”.
Susanne Traugott, Head of Women Start-up: The UnternehmerTUM initiative “Women Start-up" inspires and motivates women to explore entrepreneurship and technology. We want to help women recognize their talents and embrace founding a startup as a career path.
We have developed special training programs exclusively for women to strengthen their personalities and encourage them to become (co-)founders of a tech startup. We hold regular events, such as female founder talks and workshops on topics such as (female) leadership and pitch training.
We are a team of three colleagues who, in addition to other areas of activity, work for 'Women Start-up' at UnternehmerTUM. Andrea Lödler maintains contact with corporate and network partners and is responsible for fundraising. Doris Schönbeck develops the 'Women Start-up' empowerment training series and also supports us as a coach. And I, Susanne Traugott, lead the initiative and design the programs for the female founders.
The topic of diversity and more female entrepreneurship is particularly important for UnternehmerTUM. Therefore, numerous other colleagues support us, especially from our pre-incubation program. EXPLORE.
Women Start-up: Making the tech startup scene more diverse
Munich Startup: Who is behind the initiative and how is it financed?
Susanne Traugott: “Women Start-up” is an initiative by UnternehmerTUM with the aim of making the tech startup scene more diverse and leveraging the potential of female founders.
We finance ourselves through collaboration with partners and sponsors, including the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, Gründerland Bayern, KPMG, MakerSpace, Mentessa and UVC Partners. We are happy to collaborate with companies interested in meeting entrepreneurial women at events and functions.
Munich Startup: What do you focus on when working with founders and startups?
Susanne Traugott: It's especially important to us to empower female founders. We want to show them that they aren't the first women to successfully found a tech startup and encourage them on their journey. We advise them on which UnternehmerTUM services can help them and offer them a strong network by connecting them with successful female founders and experienced women.
Strengthening female founders’ personalities
Munich Startup: To be successful, a founder must…
Susanne Traugott: ...bring enthusiasm and motivation. She should enjoy being her own boss every day and have the courage to do so.
Munich Startup: You offer workshops and trainings for women in the startup sector. What exactly can participants expect? And how is it different from gender-neutral workshops?
Susanne Traugott: Our trainings offer participants a unique experience, focusing on both skills development and creating an emotionally safe space. We prioritize creating a supportive environment.
Unlike gender-inclusive workshops, our trainings specifically address the challenges and opportunities women face on their entrepreneurial journey. Through tailored content, networking opportunities, and targeted mentoring, we create an inspiring community that not only imparts knowledge but also promotes the individual empowerment and networking of each participant.
We have had very positive experiences with women-only workshops – the exchange is very open from the very first minute and topics such as the compatibility of children and starting a business are openly discussed.
Open events for everyone
Nevertheless, our events and evening programs are open to everyone. The exchange with male founders and male decision-makers from the startup scene is also important and valuable.
Munich Startup: What if a founder needs more intensive support?
Susanne Traugott: If a female founder needs more intensive support, we offer individual advice and a mentoring program, supported by our collaboration with the platform Mentessa. The goal of the mentoring program is to connect young women with experienced mentors, thus promoting the exchange of knowledge. The mentoring tandems are designed to facilitate regular and intensive exchange over a period of six months.
Munich Startup: Last but not least: Who do startups approach when they want to talk to you?
Susanne TraugottStartups who would like to get in touch with us can reach us through various channels. You can contact us via our website or via LinkedIn write – there we also have a groupYou can also sign up for our newsletter on our website, which is published 4-5 times a year and informs you about upcoming events and workshops. Within our team, we act as contact persons depending on our individual expertise and areas of responsibility to provide startups with the best possible support. We are also happy to connect you with startup programs and contacts within the UnternehmerTUM.
