EDF Energy, one of the WEConnect International corporate members, has launched their EDF Pulse Innovation Challenge 2020 focusing on residential heating, cooling and hot water. Heating is one of the UK’s biggest sources of carbon emissions. EDF wants to collaborate with the best SME companies innovating in this space to help combat climate change and help those companies develop and grow.

They are looking for customer innovations to do with low carbon heating, cooling and hot water in the broadest sense – this could be new hardware, software, energy efficiency, insulation, performance monitoring, data services, maintenance, or customer engagement solutions. Benefits on offer include: 
•    Access to EDF scale and network to develop business opportunities
•    Mentorship from senior leaders at EDF and access to subject matter experts
•    Free office space at IDEALondon, an innovation centre in the heart of London's Tech City, run by EDF and UCL
•    £10,000 cash prize for the overall winner
•    Opportunity to validate products, trial and test in live environments, along with customer feedback and consumer insights
•    Potential for EDF to invest 

EDF has a great track record of working with early-stage businesses and are looking forward to collaborating with a new cohort with this challenge. The information provided refers to ‘early-stage businesses’ which I have checked with the EDF Energy team (as I know lots of you have been running your businesses for many years) and they don’t mind how established the business is - what they are looking for are innovations that are not widely available in the market. A business does not need to be located in the UK to apply.

The application deadline is Monday 22nd June 2020.

MyBio, a WEConnect International certified women’s business enterprise, has signed an exclusive distribution agreement in Ireland with German manufacturer MöLab GmbH for its highly accurate COVID-19 antibody diagnostic test kit. The potentially game-changing test kit provides excellent diagnostic specificity and sensitivity for both the IgG and IgM antibodies.

Their presence will indicate whether you have been exposed to COVID-19 previously. Its ability to detect either (or both) antibodies makes it one of the most accurate antibody tests available worldwide. MyBio believes the test can play a crucial role as the lockdown eases and more people return to work. Currently available for professional use, the test kit provides a quick, on-the-spot result in 10 minutes. It’s easy to use, needing only a finger-prick sample much like a blood glucose test. The test can also be run with serum or plasma samples. Unlike the test to determine if somebody is currently carrying the virus, antibody testing determines if a person has had the infection in the past. This is done by detecting the presence of antibodies produced by the immune system against COVID-19.

Further information can be found here: https://mybio.ie/products/covid-test-antibody

Accenture and WEConnect International would like to invite you to participate in a virtual event for women-owned businesses in the Netherlands. The event is also open to women-owned businesses from other countries who can provide their products and services in the Netherlands. During the event, Accenture and Dow will share more detail about their inclusive sourcing programmes, share best practices and success stories. WEConnect International certified women’s business enterprises from the Netherlands will have the chance to present a short pitch of their business to the group.

There will also be a choice of breakout sessions – focussed on business opportunities and supplier diversity -led by Accenture, Dow, Randstad and WEConnect International will share more details about the support offered via certification. There will be a general Q&A and group discussion offering lots of opportunity to ask questions and to learn more about potential opportunities for your firm as we look towards economic recovery. The event is free to attend and please feel free to share this information with any other women-owned businesses in the Netherlands who you think may be interested in participating.

Find out more and register online here: https://www.weconnecteurope.org/event/equality-innovation-netherlands

IBM Deutschland plant gemeinsam mit der Organisation WEConnect International zwei ‘virtuelle’ Workshops zum Thema Gelungene Selbstdarstellung. Dazu möchten wir Sie hiermit gerne einladen. Diese Sessions werden informell - mit per DU - durchgeführt. Die Sprache der Veranstaltung ist Deutsch, Sie können jedoch Englisch präsentieren.

Wer sollte teilnehmen: Frauen, die mehr als 51 Prozent ihres Unternehmens besitzen und kontrollieren, in Deutschland, der Schweiz oder Österreich registriert und bieten B2B-Produkte und -Dienstleistungen an. Unternehmen außerhalb Deutschlands, der Schweiz oder Österreichs, die ihre Produkte und Dienstleistungen in der DACH-Region anbieten und Deutsch sprechen. Die Workshops sind kostenlos. 

Virtual Workshop #1: Kurz. Prägnant. Erfolgreich - Gelungene Selbstdarstellung in 2 Minuten. Ein virtuelles Ereignis am 15. Juni 2020 – 10:00 bis 11:00 Uhr CEST
Virtual Workshop #2: Optimiere deine Vorstellung. Ein virtuelles Ereignis am 19. Juni 2020 – 15:00 bis 16:00 Uhr CEST 

Melden sie sich noch heute über den folgenden Link an: 
 https://www.weconnecteurope.org/event/gelungene-selbstdarstellung-zwei-minuten

We may all be in the same storm, but we are all sailing in different ships, experiencing and responding to the current challenges in different ways. Are you floating? Drowning? Crashing into rocks? Riding high on the waves?

In this webinar, MESH Experience, a WEConnect International certified women's business enterprise, will share: 1) How increasing your buoyancy can lead to growth; 2) How to strengthen your capacity to navigate your way through stormy waters; 3) A simple self-support toolkit that makes the most of your strengths, knowledge and relationships.

You can register for this free event online at: https://weconnect-adjusting-sails-navigate-storm.eventbrite.co.uk

The first few weeks of lockdown are best described as chaotic. Some aspects of our lives are still being fuelled by chaos as the world rallies against the pandemic. The impact this is having on society will change our lives forever. In the midst of all this, we crave normality, new or otherwise, in order to continue working and running our businesses. Wellbeing is paramount for personal and business survival so Funny Women and WEConnect International have partnered to create this online social forum to help you express yourself, to keep focused and to plan ahead with a few essential endorphin and morale-boosting laughs along the way.

On the 25th June, we’ll have two sessions: ‘Press mute when you need to scream’  facilitated by Jo Fletcher-Cross, journalist, editor, playwright and stand-up comedian and ‘Finding calm to be creative’ facilitated by Janet Ellis MBE, actress, presenter (of Blue Peter fame), broadcaster and writer. And to leave us with a happy hormone high there’s entertainment with brilliant comedy from 2012 Funny Women Variety Award winner, Sooz Kempner.

You can register for this free event online at: https://weconnect-herlarious-25jun20.eventbrite.co.uk