Written by Roz Dean

It’s been a few months since attending the Women 5.0 training event in Vienna, and I’m still reflecting on the energy, ideas, and connections that came out of those few days.

Hosted by the incredible team at the female factor, the first part of the visit focused on partner meetings, setting the scene for what followed: two days of Train the Trainer sessions with a diverse group of educators, trainers, and entrepreneurs from across Europe, including Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Austria, and North Macedonia.

What stood out most was the shared commitment to supporting more inclusive and accessible entrepreneurship. The sessions combined practical tools with space for reflection and discussion, covering areas such as digital marketing, analytics, ethical technology use, and digital wellbeing. There was a strong focus not just on what tools to use, but how to use them in a way that is sustainable and meaningful.

A key takeaway for me was the importance of designing digital learning around real-life experiences. Many of the women we work with are balancing business ambitions with caring responsibilities, limited time, and unequal access to opportunities. Creating flexible, accessible learning pathways isn’t just a “nice to have” — it’s essential.

Women 5.0 is working to address this by developing a free, accessible online learning platform that supports women entrepreneurs to build digital skills and confidence at their own pace. It’s a small but important step towards reducing the digital gender gap in entrepreneurship.

You can explore the platform here: resources.enterpriseevolution.eu

I’d be really interested to hear from others in the EPALE community: How are you designing digital learning that is truly accessible and inclusive?