HEC Paris tag line has been for years now : « apprendre à oser » / learn to dare. To explore new territories, try different initiatives, launch new ventures, take risks, and learn from them all, the good and the bad ones. And start all over again.Last July 2018 in Berlin, the HEC Paris Office in Germany started a unique initiative, 1st French German Women Forum, a full-day conference around women, economy and entrepreneurship, with a French- German lens. For this 2nd edition taking place in Munich July 5 and co organised with the UnternehmerTUM Center, the focus will be Entrepreneurship: technology, finance and culture in France and Germany. It is certainly daring but 150+ attendants will spent a full day learning, creating connections and starting projects together. Bound by this belief that, together, things may change in the gender equality field. Early this year, Imène Maharzi (H.00, founder of OwnYourCash) along with Olga Hein (Director HEC Paris Office in Germany) suggested the creation of an award prior to Forum: Yes She Dares! Award aiming to support the development of a woman-founded Startup with French and/or German business ambitions. The magic of serendipitous encounters then played its part as several HEC alumni will be speakers on the Forum : Agnès Bazin (Doctolib), Beate Boodoo (GC Circles), Enée Bussac (author of « Bitcoin, ether & Cie » published at Dunod 2019) and Imène Maharzi (OwnYour Cash). Launched online April 20 with a call for projects until May 30 and a French German jury (see below) the laureate will receive : a round trip to Munich, Germany to attend the HEC French German Women Forum July 5, same day the YSD Award will be revealed on stage; access to Own Your Cash events for 1 year ; mentoring from a selection of executives and access to different events from our partners and sponsors (see below); as well as mentoring on communication and media strategy by Accroche’com (2 sessions).

For your information, the jury will be composed of: Catherine Briat, Cultural counsellor, director of all Institut Français in Germany, Ambassade de France; Caroline Brunellière, SVP Head of HR Corporate & Expertise Center at ATOS ; Cécile Calla, Journalist and author of several books on French German topics based in Berlin; Christin Drüke, Lawyer, Senior Manager at Mazars Germany; Emma France, Impact Entrepreneurship Program Manager (Stand Up), HEC Paris; Olga Hein, Director of the Representative Office of HEC Paris in Germany, HEC Paris ; Matthias Iben, Head of management development/int’l assignments VW Light at Volkswagen, Hannover, Germany ; Wolfgang Krill, Head of Public Relations, Chambre franco-allemande de Commerce et d’Industrie based in Paris ; Imène Maharzi, HEC Alumni, founder and CEO at OwnYourCash; Susanna Traugott, Project leader Women startup, Entrepreneurship & Tech Education at Unternehmer TUM, Munich, Germany; Dorothee von Canstein, Forum moderator & Journalist based in Munich.

Olga Hein, Director HEC Germany Office

Published by