Female EdTech Fellowship Retreat
A Weekend of Learning, Connection, and Inspiration
The Female EdTech Fellowship (FEF) - growth stage - is a six-month program bringing together a select group of women founders from across Europe. Every month, fellows gather online for workshops on core topics of entrepreneurship—from product to fundraising to sales. The aim: to support female founders in scaling their companies and amplifying their impact in education.
But beyond the digital sessions, there is one special highlight of the program: a three-day retreat where the fellows come together in person. This fall, the 7th cohort of the growth stage fellowship gathered at the stunning Château de la Bûcherie, just outside Paris, for a weekend of deep exchange, reflection, and connection.
Together, they refined how they scale their organisations, shared strategies to strengthen their impact, and supported each other in facing the challenges of being both entrepreneurs and women leading in the education sector. Between workshops, we enjoyed walks in the forest, moments of laughter over exquisite French gastronomy, and the kind of long, heartfelt conversations that can only emerge in this kind of space.
As one fellow put it:
“I left with a clearer view of what’s possible when founders come together with openness and intent.”
Another added:
“I left Paris inspired, challenged, and very grateful for the conversations and the women who made this weekend so valuable.”
And for some, it was also a chance to step back and recharge:
“Stepping away for a weekend like this, zooming out, and gaining fresh inspiration is not only vital for WOOF’s journey but also for my own wellbeing!”
Meet the Fellows
This year’s retreat brought together the 7th cohort of the FEF growth fellowship which includes incredible founders who are building the future of education and learning across Europe:
Simone Marschall – Zooplace (Netherlands)
Zooplace is a parent-powered guide to trustworthy learning activities for kids. It curates ad-free educational apps, board games, and hands-on ideas matched to a child’s age and interests—with clear pricing (including hidden costs) and real feedback from other parents. https://www.zooplace.org/en/
Amalie Danckert – WOOF (Denmark)
WOOF helps schools take students’ well-being seriously. It’s a digital platform used by teachers and school leaders to track how students feel, to build a shared classroom culture, and to intervene when things are not going well. planetwoof.ioFranziska Schmid – Mycelia.Education (Germany)
Mycelia is the company behind OpenEducationalBadges - a tool that helps learning providers issue digital certificates to learners in order to make them grow, understand and use their individual competency profile. Openbadges.education
Lucy Huelin – Vocabulous (United Kingdom)
Vocabulous is a resource for 9- to 14-year-olds that builds strong English vocabulary foundations by teaching Latin and Greek roots. Instead of memorising words piecemeal, students learn patterns and roots, gaining tools to decode new vocabulary. It’s fully planned, resourced, data-informed, and teacher-friendly. vocabulous.co.uk
Carmina Catena – HiPe Kids (France)
At HiPe Kids, premium English lessons start from age 3 entirely online. Each child follows a personalised path with native or bilingual teachers. Flexible scheduling helps families, and children with neurodiverse profiles (HPI, DYS, ADHD) get tailored support. The goal is simple: start early, adapt to each learner, and help them grow with confidence. HiPe Kids
Farida Danmeri – Learning Connected (London)
Learning Connected partners with universities and social enterprises worldwide to deliver virtual internships and entrepreneurship programmes. The organisation combines training with live projects to help students gain experience, build professional skills and create measurable impact for host organisations. learning-connected.org
Katharina Farkas – studyspace (Germany)
studyspace transforms any content into an interactive 1:1 tutoring experience with hyper-personalized feedback. Through AI-guided micro-learning lectures, students experience focused, engaging learning tailored to their pace. With studyspace’s AI tutor, the benefits of 1:1 tutoring are no longer a privilege, but accessible to everyone. studyspace.de
Sama Tanveer – Train the Future (Germany)
Train the Future is a programming school for children and youths, offering creative, logic and coding courses. From beginner coding to more advanced topics like frontend development and game design, the goal is to foster curiosity, digital literacy, and confidence in tech through hands-on projects and interactive learning. https://trainthefuture.com/
Anu Guttorm – Moomin Language School (Finland)
Moomin Language School brings the joy of language learning to early-learning settings worldwide. Its story-based, play-centred curriculum (rooted in Finnish educational principles) helps young children learn English (or other target languages) through engaging songs, games and stories. https://www.moominls.com/Milena Pflügl – Impact School (Germany)
Impact School offers a 9-month professional training programme in Germany that prepares people (including career-changers) to work in schools, kindergartens (Kitas), or other educational/social settings. http://www.impact-school.de
The weekend is hosted by Svenia Busson, the founder of the Female EdTech Fellowships as part of the European Edtech Alliance and a driving force in Europe’s EdTech ecosystem, dedicated to supporting female founders and fostering a more inclusive future in Edtech.
When women founders come together with openness, trust, and shared purpose, the impact goes far beyond their individual ventures. The FEF growth fellowship is not only about learning new strategies—it is about creating a space where founders feel less alone, where they can share both their struggles and successes, and where they leave with renewed energy to lead and to build.
This weekend reminded us that entrepreneurship does not have to be a solitary journey. It can be a collective one.
To learn more about the Female Edtech Fellowships, click here.
