From 9 to 12 June 2026, representatives from Kurzeme Planning Region and Ventspils County Municipality took part in the international Just Femme IPLE‑3 site visit in Emmen and Groningen, the Netherlands. The visit focused on exchanging good practices in promoting women’s entrepreneurship, strengthening women’s participation in technology and engineering sectors, and exploring regional innovation ecosystems that support women’s leadership in the green and digital transition.
The programme included an interregional workshop on female entrepreneurship moderated by Dr. Maria Kottari, as well as several site visits to organisations actively working to increase women’s involvement in STEM and ICT fields. Participants visited EME Motoren, known for organising “Girls’ Day” activities, and NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, where they learned about the FIX IT project aimed at improving women’s enrolment and career development in the IT sector.
In Groningen, the delegation met with CodeGorilla/Alyx, which provides practical coding training and promotes gender diversity in tech, and visited Innokite, UMCG, and several women‑led startups in healthcare technology and innovation. Discussions focused on regional cooperation models, challenges, and effective practices for supporting women entrepreneurs.
Participation in the IPLE‑3 visit provided valuable insights into how renewable energy and circular economy value chains can create new opportunities for women in Just Transition territories, while strengthening interregional cooperation and knowledge exchange.
About the project
Just Femme is an Interreg Europe project involving partners from eight EU countries – Bulgaria, Greece, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, the Netherlands and North Macedonia.
Its mission is to ensure that the Green and Digital Transitions also work for women, by promoting their active participation in entrepreneurship, employment, and regional policy-making in Just Transition territories.
Information prepared by:
Viktorija Reine
Project Manager at Kurzeme Planning Region
Phone: +371 29762971
Email: viktorija.reine@kurzemesregions.lv
