Celebrating women’s entrepreneurship: Georgia satellite EXPO event spotlights women-led businesses

For the second year in a row, 160 women entrepreneurs from different regions of Georgia seized the opportunity to showcase and sell their products, while forging business connections at the Expo Georgia Exhibition Center in Tbilisi as part of the EXPO satellite event held on 21 – 22 October 2023.

Gathering women entrepreneurs, private sector representatives, business associations and the media together, the event provided a space for participants to establish business connections and potential partnerships to boost women’s entrepreneurship in the country.

Kaori Ishikawa, UN Women Country Representative in Georgia, highlighted the significance of such large-scale exhibitions for women entrepreneurs in expanding their businesses: “This kind of extensive exhibition and sale will provide greater awareness and opportunities for business development to women entrepreneurs in Georgia.”

Alkis Drakinos, Regional Head of the Caucasus for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), underscored the EBRD’s efforts in promoting women’s entrepreneurship, and said: “We are pleased to support the exhibition and sale of exceptional products created by women entrepreneurs that for the second year in collaboration with our partners. We will continue to promote women’s entrepreneurship through business loans and consultations”

Una Kutateladze, a woman entrepreneur producing herbal pet care products under the ‘Mouare’ brand, mentioned that this event has been a great opportunity for her business: “I’ve connected with many women entrepreneurs and people who are interested in my work. This event marks a significant step forward for my business.”

Moreover, for the first time in the exhibition space, a dedicated section was allocated for tech start-ups founded by women. “Hosting more events like this would greatly support us. Complex exhibitions are equally fascinating for us,” remarked Tamar Bosikashvili, co-founder of the tech start-up Aisitec.

The event was organized by the UN Women Georgia in partnership with the EBRD, TBC Bank, the Georgian Farmers’ Association, Expo Georgia, Business and Technology University, and the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, within the scope of the Women’s Economic Empowerment component of the project “Good Governance for Gender Equality in Georgia”, supported by the Norwegian Government.

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