We were honoured to partner with UN Women Armenia at the Gateway to Europe 2025, two days that brought together innovation, learning and inspiration for the future of women in entrepreneurship.

The event opened with welcoming words from Françoise Jacob, United Nations Resident Coordinator, among other speakers. She highlighted how collaboration and shared responsibility are essential when pushing and promoting gender equality in entrepreneurship. This set the tone for the beginning of two days full of knowledge-sharing.

One first highlight moment from day 1 was the workshop led by Audra Shallal, which went beyond teaching pitching techniques. More than 30 entrepreneurs left the session not only with practical tips for the perfect pitch but also with renewed confidence, inspiration, and ambition for their journeys.

Another key moment of the first day was the panel on Increasing Women in the Angel Community, with insights from Audra Shallal (Corenvest), Tiina Laisi Puheloinen (FiBAN), Ani Asatryan (BANA Angels), and Olga Azatryan (UN Women Armenia), moderated by EBAN Director, Jacopo Losso. The panellists showed how small but important changes, such as making application processes for a BAN less intimidating and offering more inclusive mentorship, are already helping more women join the investment space. They also emphasised the need to shift the narrative, celebrate women’s success stories, and create accessible pathways that boost women’s confidence in their role as investors.

Last but not least, the Win4Education launch event by FAST, happening as a side-event on the evening of Day 2, left us deeply inspired during the second day. Focused on innovation in STEM education, it is building a strong pipeline of women entrepreneurs ready to lead the regional innovation economy. With partners like Teach for Armenia and the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA), the program is already driving inclusive educational transformation and paving the way for a new generation of empowered women across Eastern Partnership countries.

In her keynote, Olga Azatryan outlined UN Women’s global role in supporting women-led entrepreneurship. She explained how the organisation combines policy advocacy, capacity building, and expanded market access to create real opportunities. This includes supporting legal reforms, promoting gender-responsive procurement, helping women-led businesses scale, and encouraging gender-lens investing. Her message was clear: empowering women entrepreneurs is not only a matter of fairness but also a driver of sustainable economic growth.

During this session, we also celebrated powerful and inspiring personal stories. Hasmik Ter-Grigoryan, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer at LiveBoard, shared her journey as both an entrepreneur and a mother.  Last year, during the EBAN Congress 2024 in Tallinn, she pitched while pregnant, and this year, on the very same date, she returned to the stage as her baby celebrated the first birthday. In her reflections, Hasmik highlighted the resilience of women entrepreneurs, the lessons learned through challenges, and the importance of passing those lessons to the next generation of leaders. 

We are proud to have been part of this collaboration with UN Women. Supporting women founders is not only about equity, it is about building stronger communities and more resilient economies. We look forward to continuing to work together to build a stronger, more inclusive ecosystem for women entrepreneurs and angel investors, not only in Armenia but also beyond. 

About Gateway to Europe

Gateway to Europe: Armenia (September 18–19, 2025) was co-organised by Science & Technology Angels Network (STAN), Angel Investor Club of Armenia (AICA), BANA Angels and EBAN, with support from the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia, funded by the The Government of the Republic of Armenia, the EU4Innovation East project, funded by the European Commission, co-funded by the French Government and implemented by Expertise France, and UN Women Armenia. The event offered two days of immersive sessions, startup showcases, and networking opportunities across Yerevan’s thriving innovation ecosystem.

About EBAN

The European Business Angels Network (EBAN) is the pan-European representative for the early-stage investor community, gathering over 100 member organisations in more than 50 countries.

About UN Women Armenia

UN Women exists to advance women’s rights, gender equality, and the empowerment of all women and girls. Operating in Armenia since 2024, UN Women carries a triple mandate: supporting governments in fulfilling normative commitments, coordinating UN system efforts on gender equality, and implementing programs that integrate gender perspectives into policies and development initiatives. UN Women keeps the rights of women and girls at the centre of global progress—always, everywhere. Because gender equality is not just what we do. It is who we are.