Walburga Fröhlich, founder and CEO of the social enterprise atempo, is the winner of the “EU Prize for Women Innovators”. She was the only Austrian woman in the final and won third place, which is endowed with €30,000.
Although many women work in the fields of research, development and business, there are still too few who develop their own creative business ideas and bring them to market – according to the European Commission.
That is why the “EU Prize for Women Innovators”, worth a total of 200,000 euros, was announced. Because: the European Union promotes equality for women and wants to shine a spotlight on the representatives of the supposedly weaker sex, who excel in particular through their innovative strength and entrepreneurial spirit: “Women are an engine for European competitiveness. Only with them will it be possible to master the social challenges of our time,” say the organizers of the innovation competition.
With Walburga Fröhlich and atempo, an entrepreneur from the social sector has now been honored for the first time.
Together with Klaus Candussi, Walburga Fröhlich founded the social enterprise atempo in 2001. The guiding idea and core business is the equality of people. To this end, atempo develops and sells products and services that make life easier for people with and without disabilities.
Under the brand capito – barrier-free information – atempo offers translations of difficult texts into simple language. Via the capito app, this easy-to-understand information is also available on smartphones.
With Walburga Fröhlich and atempo, an entrepreneur from the social sector has now been honored for the first time.
Together with Klaus Candussi, Walburga Fröhlich founded the social enterprise atempo in 2001. The guiding idea and core business is the equality of people. To this end, atempo develops and sells products and services that make life easier for people with and without disabilities.
Under the brand capito – barrier-free information – atempo offers translations of difficult texts into simple language. Via the capito app, this easy-to-understand information is also available on smartphones.
nueva – user-oriented evaluation – is concerned with reviewing quality standards in residential homes and workshops for people with disabilities. The consistent digitization of these services has now been recognized by the Commission as a special, social innovation.
As a social entrepreneur, Walburga Fröhlich built up a social franchise network for capito and nueva, which now includes around 80 partners in German-speaking countries.
“The winners are truly inspiring women who have developed ideas that have been successful in the marketplace while improving people’s lives. I am glad that our award has recognized their outstanding achievements,” said Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation at the award ceremony in Brussels on June 21.
The winners – 1st place went to Gabrielle Colucci (Italy), 2nd place went to Alicia Asin Perez from Spain- were selected by an independent jury of experts following an open call for entries in fall 2017. The jury consisted of independent experts from business, venture capital, entrepreneurship and academia. 122 submissions were received from across the EU and countries associated with Horizon 2020, the EU’s funding program for research and innovation, which provides the prize money for the awards.
+ 43 316 81 47 16 0
office@atempo-asssociation.org
Heinrichstraße 145
8010 Graz
Austria