In the words of Vivia Gurgenishvili: “Compared to men, women entrepreneurs have limited access to financial resources in Georgia.”

Vivia Gurgenishvili, 30, is an entrepreneur and mother of three from Veliskikhe, a village in Eastern Georgia. Currently living in the capital, Tbilisi, Gurgenishvili is the founder of Dino, a small company that produces eco-friendly wooden furniture and toys from clean and certified raw materials with a focus on child development. She recently joined the first large-scale exhibition by women entrepreneurs in Georgia, organized by UN Women and supported by the “Enterprise Georgia” programme, the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Business and Technology University, TBC Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development within the framework of a programme for women entrepreneurs supported by the Government of Sweden, alongside the “Good Governance for Gender Equality in Georgia” project, supported by the Government of Norway.

“Dino” was founded in December 2019, and we started production in August 2020, right when the pandemic was raging. This idea occurred to me when I needed to buy age-specific, developmental eco-friendly toys for my children, but I could not find anything like that in the market. Everything was made of plastic, and its production was neither reliable nor clear. This worried me, and I started to explore the Georgian market but couldn't find what I needed.

Then this idea struck me, and I started to develop and realize it. I searched for information on developing wooden furniture, got acquainted with the recommendations of foreign psychologists, and became acquainted with the child development methodologies of Pikler, Waldorf and Montessori, in order to provide the correct information about each product to the consumer. This has had a very positive effect on “Dino’s” image. Later, I started my enterprise and embarked on a path that was very difficult, but at the same time, full of expectations and hopes, that has been inspiring me to this day. I think I am on the right path, one idea brings about another, and I feel I have the strength to accomplish it all.

Compared to men, women entrepreneurs have limited access to financial resources in Georgia, including business and entrepreneurial loans. Female entrepreneurs should have access to more financial resources and information, as we, women, are able to achieve much more than what we usually do on a regular basis.

The exhibition hosted by UN Women in Tbilisi has given me even more confidence. It showed me how I can become stronger than I am today. I have attended very interesting seminars that will help me develop my business. I am extremely grateful for that. I am also planning to attend the regional EXPO and I hope to find support in relation to exports and finding investors for my business.”