Womenpreneurship EXPO Brings 70+ Women-Led Businesses in Tirana

• Over 70 women-led businesses participated in the Women's Entrepreneurship EXPO 2025 in Tirana on October 29
• The event brought together entrepreneurs, investors, government bodies, and private sector partners

On October 29, the Women's Entrepreneurship EXPO 2025 was held in Tirana, where over 70 women-led businesses from all over Albania mingled with other businesses, investors, government officials, and private sector partners.

The EXPO is intended to assist with women's economic participation and boost investment in women-owned businesses.

EXPO, in its third year, has become a national platform for women entrepreneurs to connect with new market opportunities; it facilitates connections to investors and creates partnerships that lead to economic development.

EXPO was delivered by UN Women in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, with generous support from the Government of Sweden, Government of Italy, Government of the United Kingdom, and the Government of the European Union.

The EXPO brought over 100 participants in a set of events that included a business fair and networking event, themed workshops, and for those businesses ready to commit to gender equality in attendance, the signing of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEP's).

The Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, Delina Ibrahimaj, stated that advancements made in women's economic empowerment results from sustained policies, and partnerships such as collaboration with UN Women.

Women entrepreneurs engaged in agri-food, eco-fashion, tourism, and digital services joined the event, with approximately 40 percent from rural or semi-urban areas. They showed their products, exchanged ideas, and discussed opportunities and challenges relating to business growth.

The participants shared their positive feedback: Luiza Tare, tailor and founder of “Art” Vlora, spoke highly about the good organization of this event. Adela Lamçe, co-founder of the digital platform “NineHana,” stated that EXPO marked an important step in the early stage of their business.

Even though females in Albania own or manage more than 30 percent of small enterprises, it is often concentrated in smaller and less impactful activities. EXPO events provide some opportunity for increased market access through new partnerships.

Michele Ribotta, UN Women Representative in Albania said: "Women entrepreneurs are a good way to invest in long-term development for a country."

Other discussions addressed aspects of finance, digitalization, rural and tourism entrepreneurship, and barriers to women-owned enterprises, in partnership with the Bank of Albania, EU Delegation to Albania, Ministry of Tourism and Agriculture, and other development partners.

This activity is part of a larger regional series of events, Women's Entrepreneurship EXPO 2025 organized by the UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, with support from the EU, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Business Angels Network (EBAN), and Women in Tech Global.