How Capsule is supporting young women to build thriving businesses
Despite Romania’s growing startup ecosystem, women founders remain disproportionately low. The Capsule programme, a European Erasmus+ initiative, set out to tackle this gap by providing mentorship, coaching, and hands-on training to young women in Romania, Hungary, and Croatia, equipping them with the skills and confidence to build successful businesses.
- Impact Hub Network
Nearly half (47%) of Romanian women hold back from launching their own businesses due to fear of failure.
Starting a business is tough. But for many young women in Romania, it’s not just about having a great idea or the right skills, it’s about overcoming fear.
This hesitation persists even when they possess the knowledge and abilities needed to succeed. It’s a striking reminder that beyond financial resources and business plans, confidence and support networks are essential for female entrepreneurs to thrive. And that is exactly what the Capsule programme set out to provide.
Capsule: A launchpad for women entrepreneurs
The Capsule programme, a European Erasmus+ initiative, ran from February 2023 to November 2024, aiming to equip young women (ages 18-28) in Romania, Hungary, and Croatia with the skills, knowledge, and mindset needed to build successful businesses.
Organised by Impact Hub Bucharest, Impact Hub Budapest, Impact Hub Zagreb, and Career Shift, Capsule offered a mix of mentorship, coaching, and practical training to 105 young women, carefully selected from over 350 applicants.
And while the programme itself has ended, its impact is just beginning.
Unveiling the Capsule report at the “Empowering Young Women” event
To mark the completion of the programme, Capsule hosted the “Empowering Young Women” event on February 11, 2025, at Impact Hub Bucharest where the report’s key findings were presented. The event also brought together influential leaders in the entrepreneurship ecosystem, including:
🎤 Monica Aliman, Partner at Bravva Female Founders & ex-founder of Pain Plaisir
🎤 Carmen Mihalca, Founder of Antreprenoare.ro
🎤 Alice Cornea, CEO of Junior Achievement Romania
These trailblazers shared invaluable insights on mentorship, financial access, and overcoming self-doubt, offering actionable advice for aspiring female entrepreneurs.
Why women entrepreneurs need more support
Despite Romania’s growing startup ecosystem, there’s a glaring gender gap in entrepreneurship. Only 8% of startup founders in Romania are women, compared to 75% of men.
That statistic alone reveals why programmes like Capsule are critical. Women face unique challenges in the business world—from limited access to funding to a lack of role models—and without the right support, many never take the leap.
The Capsule report also reveals that one-size-fits-all learning doesn’t work.
Beginners need foundational knowledge in business planning, marketing, and finance. More experienced entrepreneurs want advanced training in scaling, investment strategies, and legal compliance.
Another key finding? Traditional e-learning doesn’t cut it. Many participants struggled with online courses, preferring interactive workshops, real-world case studies, and peer-to-peer learning instead.
The Capsule programme has shown us that structured support, high-quality mentorship, and the creation of a strong community are essential for developing female entrepreneurship.
What’s next for the future of women in business
The end of Capsule isn’t the end of its mission. To keep the momentum going, the programme’s final report suggests several key post-Capsule initiatives:
✅ An alumni network to keep participants connected and supported.
✅ Regular networking and mentorship events to foster long-term relationships.
✅ A digital platform providing educational resources and a space for collaboration.
✅ Enhanced e-learning with more interactive, hands-on content.
The Capsule programme has proven that with the right support, resources, and community, young women can overcome fear, build confidence, and launch successful businesses. But one programme isn’t enough. The entrepreneurial ecosystem must continue to invest in women, ensuring they have access to mentorship, funding, and opportunities to turn their ideas into reality.
Want to explore the full Capsule report and learn more about supporting female entrepreneurs? Access the report here.
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