Building Bridges to Entrepreneurship: Success Project for Ukrainian Women Continues

Deciding to start your own business requires courage—especially in a new country. To pave the way, the Safavi Impact Institute, in cooperation with the Vienna Economic Chamber (WKO), once again organized a practical workshop for Ukrainian women on April 28th. The format has now established itself as a cornerstone for professionally supporting the growing number of Ukrainian female entrepreneurs in Vienna.

The objective of the workshop remains clearly defined: to break down barriers and provide participants with the necessary tools to launch their business ideas successfully on the Austrian market. The high level of interest from the community during this latest installment once again underscores the vital importance of this specific informational offering.

Under the expert guidance of Ilona Wurzinger from the WKO Founders' Service (Gründerservice Wien), participants were led through the decisive phases of starting a business. The program focused on the central pillars of self-employment, beginning with legal orientation. Participants learned about choosing the appropriate legal form—such as whether a sole proprietorship or a limited liability company (GmbH) is more suitable—and which trade licenses are required to get started.

A significant portion of the program was dedicated to financial planning and the tax framework. The expert provided deep insights into the Austrian tax system, explained the handling of VAT (Umsatzsteuer), and outlined social security contributions. Furthermore, she detailed how founders can specifically reduce costs and take advantage of financial benefits through the New Company Promotion Act (NeuFöG).

A key feature of this workshop series is the direct dialogue. Rather than a purely theoretical lecture, the event evolved into a lively exchange where individual hurdles and specific industry questions were discussed directly with the WKO professionals. This personal contact helps the women overcome the fear of bureaucracy and tackle the next administrative steps with confidence.

The ongoing collaboration between the Safavi Impact Institute and the WKO Vienna demonstrates the importance of reliable resources for economic integration. For many women, this day provided the decisive impulse to turn a plan into a real professional future in Austria. We look forward to seeing the new businesses that will emerge from this workshop.