Paris, France – March 11, 2025 – In celebration of International Women’s Day, WeWork is shining a light on the inspiring journey of Victoria Arnhold, entrepreneur and founder of Businettes, a community that supports more than 6,000 women entrepreneurs across Europe. Victoria leverages the flexibility and network that WeWork provides to scale her business, foster strategic connections between founders, and accelerate the growth of women-led startups – all while opening doors for more budding female entrepreneurs.
A community that turns inspiration into action
Founded in 2019 in Germany and launched in France at the end of 2022, Businettes now brings together over 6,000 members, ranging from solo founders to startup teams and professionals seeking to launch side hustles. The mission? To provide women with a platform to build a strong entrepreneurial network.
Victoria Arnhold, co-founder, explains: “After seven years in corporate strategic marketing and innovation management roles, Claire (Claire Siegert, co-founder) and I launched Businettes in 2019 because we wanted to help women believe in themselves and unlock their natural potential as business creators.”
When Businettes was founded, only 25% of entrepreneurs in France, the UK, and Germany were women, and just 50% of women with a business idea went on to launch their own companies. The biggest barriers? A lack of confidence, skills, and funding. Businettes was built to tackle these challenges head-on, creating a platform that encourages and facilitates women’s entrepreneurship – helping them find co-founders, investors, and key service providers, and ultimately contributing to a more diverse startup ecosystem in Europe. This challenge remains just as relevant today.
“Now more than ever, women need networks that support them,” Victoria adds. “Entrepreneurship is a challenging journey, and having a strong, like-minded community is crucial, especially for female founders. It’s what helps our members break psychological and practical barriers, find mentors, and, most importantly, feel guided through every stage of their journey. At Businettes, we’ve built a space where these connections happen naturally, and where women can truly accelerate their businesses through partnerships and opportunities.”
Through regular events—from pitch meetups to weekly workshops—Businettes creates a dynamic space for exchange and support, ensuring female founders are equipped at every stage of their growth.
Spaces that foster collaboration and community
With her WeWork All Access membership, Victoria and her team frequently host Businettes gatherings, connecting members with experts, investors, and fellow entrepreneurs. “Entrepreneurship can be a lonely road, and it was essential for me to find a space that offered both flexibility and strategic networking opportunities,” says Victoria. “WeWork allows me to work in an inspiring setting while tapping into a vibrant community.”
Across Paris and throughout Europe, WeWork spaces have played a pivotal role in this process. “WeWork enables me to seamlessly build bridges between Paris, London, and Berlin,” Victoria continues. “These spaces offer far more than just a place to work, they are places where opportunities happen naturally.”
A prime example of this was the exclusive event held at WeWork 37 Avenue Trudaine in Paris on March 6, bringing together dozens of women entrepreneurs to mark International Women’s Day. Participants engaged in discussions on key topics such as fundraising, finding the right partners, and navigating the entrepreneurial ecosystem. They also shared valuable insights on overcoming the loneliness of entrepreneurship and adapting to different cultural mindsets, two challenges that many founders face when growing their businesses internationally.
As Businettes expands internationally, the organization is set to host more events in WeWork locations across the UK and Germany, further strengthening its European network of women entrepreneurs. With growth on the horizon, WeWork remains a key partner in this journey, providing an environment where today’s and tomorrow’s entrepreneurs can thrive.
Rebecca Nachanakian, General Manager of WeWork Continental Europe, said: “Victoria and Businettes embody the spirit of WeWork – bringing people together, sparking ideas, and turning connections into real opportunities. More than just a workspace, WeWork is where entrepreneurs find the support, community, and resources they need to grow, whether it’s their next business partner, investor, or breakthrough moment. Initiatives like Businettes demonstrate how much we can achieve when we strive together, and we are proud to support founders in building the businesses of tomorrow.”
About WeWork
WeWork is a leading global real estate platform that empowers businesses to thrive through world-class flexible workplace solutions, innovative technology services, and hospitality-driven experiences. With a curated portfolio of nearly 600 thoughtfully designed locations worldwide, spanning 45M square feet, WeWork helps more than half a million members—from emerging startups to Fortune 100 companies—achieve their best work. To learn more, visit wework.com.
