EmPOWERa Consulting

EmPOWERa Consulting Selected for the UN Women Women's Entrepreneurship EXPO

Author: Ana Pataki, Founder, EmPOWERa Consulting · · 3 min read

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EmPOWERa Consulting has been selected for the Women's Entrepreneurship EXPO, a regional program run by UN Women Europe and Central Asia with the support of the European Union and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

For a young consultancy working in healthcare communication for the rare disease ecosystem, this is an important step. It gives us structured support, expert feedback and direct access to investors at a moment when we are preparing to grow.

About the program

The Women's Entrepreneurship EXPO is a regional platform that connects women entrepreneurs with business mentors, experts, investors and private-sector partners. It brings together participants from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo*, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, North Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

The program is open to businesses at three stages of development:

  • Minimum viable product (MVP): the idea has been tested in its simplest form
  • Early stage: the product or service is already on the market
  • Growth stage: the business generates regular revenue

It is also a program of non-formal adult education. Through training, mentoring and hands-on work on investor pitches, participants build the skills needed to manage, finance and scale a business.

First steps

The program is already under way. Ana Pataki, founder of EmPOWERa Consulting, attended the first introductory meeting and represented the company at the women's entrepreneurship fair held on Friday, 16 October, at Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad.

EmPOWERa Consulting presenting its communication strategy services at the women entrepreneurs' fair in Novi Sad
EmPOWERa Consulting presenting its communication strategy services at the women entrepreneurs' fair in Novi Sad

What the coming months include

Over the coming months, we will take part in:

  • Business bootcamps focused on entrepreneurial skills
  • One-to-one mentoring with experienced business mentors
  • Regional networking with fellow entrepreneurs and potential partners
  • An online exhibition of products and services
  • Investor pitch preparation and expert feedback on growth plans
  • Tailored training and events organized by UN Women across the region

A selected group of participants will go on to Capital Quest in spring 2027 to present their businesses to international business angels and investors.

Women entrepreneurs at the introductory meeting of the UN Women Women's Entrepreneurship EXPO
Women entrepreneurs at the introductory meeting of the UN Women Women's Entrepreneurship EXPO

Why this matters for EmPOWERa Consulting

Visibility is welcome, but the structured learning is what we value most. Few programs combine mentoring, practical pitch work and direct contact with investors in one place.

We see it as a chance to sharpen our financial and investor-facing skills. It is also a chance to prepare EmPOWERa Consulting for its next phase: strengthening our platform and expanding into new markets.

The regional community matters too. Women entrepreneurs often face the same barriers to finance and market access, and solving them is easier together.

Ana Pataki discussing healthcare communication strategy with visitors at the entrepreneurship fair
Ana Pataki discussing healthcare communication strategy with visitors at the entrepreneurship fair

Share your experience

If you have been through an accelerator or pitched to angel investors, we would like to hear from you. What do you wish you had known before you started?

We will share what we learn along the way here on the blog.

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.