Empowering women and girls through digital and entrepreneurial competences with ESTEAM Fests and Communities
Only 34.5% of women in the EU between 2014 to 2018 felt that they had the knowledge and skills to start a business, compared to about half of men. Studies also show that although girls are as interested in science-related careers as boys at a young age, they tend to deviate from science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) topics as they grow up.
Deloitte together with the European Women Association (EWA) and Vlajo are conducting a project for the European Commission and the European Innovation and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) to empower women and girls, in particular, by boosting their digital and entrepreneurial competences and increasing their confidence to choose STEM career paths.
Key highlights of the ESTEAM Project
Since the launch of the ESTEAM Project in January 2022, over 4 000 girls and women have participated in our online and in-person activities. We have already hosted ESTEAM Fests in nineteen countries, and we plan to visit three more in the upcoming months.
Malta Girls ESTEAM Fest 2022
Belgium Women’s ESTEAM Fest 2022
Belgium Girls’ ESTEAM Fest 2022
Coming up
The next ESTEAM Fest will be taking place in:
Online Fest on 19 September 2024 (Women): Register here
Nzyme on 13 February 2025 (Women)
Join the events and communities now!
Are you a woman that is interested in boosting your digital and/or
entrepreneurial skills?
Join our Women ESTEAM community to develop your skills and connect with like-minded peers! Join here
Are you a girl, between the ages of 9 and 17 years old, and are interested in boosting your digital and/or entrepreneurial skills? Or are you a teacher or a parent looking to support girls in this journey? Keep an eye out for our upcoming events!
Join our Girls ESTEAM community to develop your skills, to learn about digital and entrepreneurship and to connect with other like-minded girls and mentors!
The 5th and latest edition of the Girls’ and Women’s ESTEAM Fests headed to Prague, Czechia; Brussels, Belgium; and Milan, Italy.
On 4 June 2024 more than 70 women participated in the Fest in Prague. The event kicked off with powerful speeches by Deloitte Czechia's Radovan Frolo and Ivana Lorencovicova, and the inspiring Dana Adriana Puia Morel from the European Commission. The panel discussion, led by D&I Leader Tereza De Bardi, HR Director Martina Schiestlova, Ambassador for CSR pillars Olga Třísková, and talent acquisition team leader Iva Habrnálová showcased inspiring success stories that truly resonated with everyone in the room. From mastering Google Analytics to enhancing Business Soft Skills and exploring Artificial Intelligence, inspiring and experienced moderators equipped participants with essential digital and entrepreneurial competences through practical, hands-on and tailored workshops.
On 23 May 2024, the 5th edition of the ESTEAM Fest continued in Belgium with more than 70 girls aged 11-13 from the European School of Brussels. Led by our talented Deloitte colleagues, these workshops provided invaluable insights into digital and entrepreneurial competences. Deloitte Global Lead for European Institutions and Agencies account Hilde Van de Velde, Policy expert Dana Puia Morel from the European Commission explained their journey as women in leading roles within the ESTEAM domains and inspired the girls to follow in their footsteps.
The first event of the 5th edition of the Girls’ and Women’s ESTEAM Fests occurred in Milan, Italy on 8 March 2024 to celebrate International Women’s Day.
Approximately 130 women participated in the Fest, selected from a pool of approximately 200 applications received. Some of them were university students from Italy or abroad, would-be entrepreneurs or women intending to change their careers
The 4th edition of the Girls’ and Women’s ESTEAM Fests took place in Mérida, Spain, Bucharest, Romania, and Lisbon, Portugal.
In Bucharest, Romania on 28 and 29 November 2023 approximately 100 girls aged 15 to 16 worked on issues related to mental health, education, climate change by working in groups and cracking case studies, the girls were encouraged to present their results with an elevator pitch.
The Women’s ESTEAM Fest in Lisbon, Portugal took place on 25 November 2023. More than 120 women coming from 8 universities joined the Fest with the aim of deepening their knowledge in the world of Entrepreneurship, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics topics.
The 3rd edition of the Girls’ and Women’s ESTEAM Fests took place in Poland, Brussels, Belgium, Luxembourg and online.
The 2nd edition of the Girls’ and Women’s ESTEAM Fests took place in Ireland and Malta and Greece.
The 1st edition of the Girls’ and Women’s ESTEAM Fests took place in Belgium.
