Case Studies of Successful Women Entrepreneurs in the ICT Industry in 21 APEC Economies

This report presents findings of case studies of successful women entrepreneurs engaged in ICT business or actively integrating ICTs into their business. A total of 24 women entrepreneurs from 21 APEC economies participated in the research study. This study is part of APEC-funded project titled ‘Women’s Economic Empowerment and ICT: Capacity Building for APEC Women Entrepreneurs in the Age of the 4th Industrial Revolution’ undertaken by Asia Pacific Women’s Information Network Center (APWINC) of Sookmyung Women’s University under the supervision of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family of Republic of Korea.

The purposes of the study are 1) to identify success factors that contributed to business success of the women entrepreneurs, 2) to understand main challenges or obstacles that these women entrepreneurs faced, 3) to highlight policy recommendations that the successful women entrepreneurs offered as enablers for facilitating women’s entrepreneurship, and 4) to identify advice that the women entrepreneurs would like to give to other women entrepreneurs or women who wish to start up their business in the future.