Honoured among the Forbes 30 Under 30 award winners, the successful founder and IMC Krems graduate Sofia Surma shows how female entrepreneurship becomes visible and sustainable business practices are promoted.
Story
From IMC Krems to the Forbes list
Sofia, our graduate of the Export-oriented Management bachelor degree programme (now: International Business Management), made it onto the coveted 30 under 30 list in the DACH region of the renowned Forbes magazine this year. With her start-up EMPOVVER, the first European online marketplace for women-led businesses, she is revolutionising the eCommerce sector. However, her journey began not only in the lecture halls of IMC Krems, but also with a great vision: to make female entrepreneurship visible and promote sustainable business practices.
Today, EMPOVVER stocks over 300 products from more than 60 companies and is already expanding into Switzerland. The platform stands for empowerment and supports women in establishing their values and products in an often male-dominated business world. A core value of EMPOVVER is to authentically represent feminist principles instead of using them as a pure marketing strategy. Sofia and her team focus on products that are characterised by the vision of the female manufacturer.
The path from idea to Forbes award
Sofia founded EMPOVVER 2022 with her co-founders, including her former fellow student Marlene. The connection to IMC Krems is a central part of her story: ‘In the Business Logistics course with Andreas Schachenhuber, I learnt how important creative approaches and logistical expertise are in eCommerce,’ she explains. The practical IT courses also helped her to master complex processes and implement them efficiently.
But it wasn't just her studies that shaped her perspective. Growing up in an entrepreneurial family, Sofia realised early on how much dedication and perseverance entrepreneurship requires. It was only later, motivated by the social movement around feminism and diversity, that she developed her vision for EMPOVVER.
IMC Krems: a springboard for founders
Sofia is convinced that the business degree programmes at IMC Krems provide inspiration and important foundations for start-up careers. ‘Back then, I would never have thought of starting my own business. But today I can see how versatile the knowledge is - whether as a founder or in other professional fields,’ she emphasises. She particularly appreciates the practical lessons and the encouragement to think outside the box.
The most important thing is to have a strong ‘why’
Sofia has clear advice for anyone thinking about starting their own business: ‘The most important thing is to have a strong “why” - a vision that drives you. And a diverse team that combines different strengths is essential.’ She is convinced that EMPOVVER is successful precisely because her team brings different skills to the table and complements each other perfectly.
With Sofia Surma, we as a university are not only celebrating an exceptional graduate, but also a pioneer for female entrepreneurship. Her story shows how talented people from Krems have the courage to initiate global change - and become successfully visible in the process.
About EMPOVVER
EMPOVVER has grown considerably since its foundation. The start-up started with 10 products and now lists over 300 products from more than 60 women-led businesses. This impressive development shows how Sofia Surma and her team have created a real platform for empowerment. EMPOVVER has recently ventured beyond national borders and is now also active in Switzerland. The aim is to make women-led companies and their products visible and promote them in other markets.
EMPOVVER is the first online marketplace in Europe to focus exclusively on women-led businesses. The concept combines community building with the support of female entrepreneurs, creating a unique niche in the eCommerce sector.
To the International Business Management bachelor degree programme
