The global She’s Next Empowered by Visa initiative has been launched in Armenia by Visa, the world leader in digital payments, hosting a panel discussion about women in the business of Armenia in partnership with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The launch of the She's Next campaign in Armenia signifies a major step in empowering women entrepreneurs locally.

“We are extremely pleased to bring She’s Next Empowered by Visa to Armenia. Since its launch in 2019, the campaign has equipped tens of thousands of women across the globe with the skills necessary to fund, grow, and scale their small businesses. This panel discussion in partnership with EBRD is only the first step Visa is taking to boost female entrepreneurship in Armenia, and we are looking forward to creating great opportunities for Armenian women leaders to expand their business horizons and reach success,” comments Diana Kiguradze, Visa Regional Manager for the Caucasus region.

In organizing the discussion, Visa and the EBRD in Armenia united efforts to champion women's economic advancement, share knowledge, expertise, and resources, and facilitate networking between female entrepreneurs. The kick-off meeting gathered local women entrepreneurs and covered various topics, including challenges and trends of female entrepreneurship in Armenia. During the event, inspiring speeches were delivered by Diana Kiguradze, Visa Regional Manager for the Caucasus region, and Zara Ohanyan, Principal Manager at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in Armenia.

“We’re excited to partner with Visa through this inspiring initiative, which aims to promote women’s entrepreneurship and economic empowerment in Armenia. Despite women entrepreneurs’ potential, they continue to face systemic barriers when growing their businesses, from gaps in financing for women-led SMEs to limited business development opportunities, including mentoring and networking. Consequently, women remain under-represented and under-served. Extending the She’s Next initiative to Armenia represents a significant step forward in levelling the playing field for women entrepreneurs and encouraging them to unleash their full potential,” added Zara Ohanyan.

She’s Next Empowered by Visa is a global initiative focusing on improving women’s economic engagement and the development of female-owned small and micro businesses. It offers various necessary tools and resources to women to start, scale, and expand their businesses both locally and internationally.