Description of the project
The European Commission launched the pilot project ‘Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs’ in 2009 as an innovative response to the dual challenge of stimulating entrepreneurship and encouraging cross-border trade in Europe. Since 2014, Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs belongs to the COSME Programme, which aims to promote growth and to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of enterprises in the European Union.
Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs is about breaking barriers and crossing borders. The idea behind this exchange programme is that national borders should not curtail potential of SMEs. On the contrary, the internal market is a great opportunity for SMEs. The Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme contributes to fostering an entrepreneurial mindset and behaviour. It fosters the development of more internationalised SMEs and creation of more new businesses in Europe — two fundamental elements which will promote sustainable economic development and will benefit all EU countries. In the past the programme showed promising results. Until February 2018, about 5.800 exchanges have taken place.
By means of learning with an experienced entrepreneur (furthermore Host Entrepreneur/HE) in another participating country, start-up entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs (furthermore New Entrepreneur/NE) will gain competences and perspectives that will be invaluable during their business start-up phase.
To collaborate and discussing different topics of running a business can help a NE to enrich their experiences as well as to acquire and to build managerial skills and network behaviours.
Otherwise, the NEs will use their fresh entrepreneurial spirit, their different perspective, and their knowledge of their home market and culture as a source of new ideas and a sounding board for the HEs. They can research, develop and test or pilot new business concepts, products or services and following improve their access to the Single European Market by getting hands-on knowledge about other national markets.
Within this context, our European Partnership “EYE SEE P 2017” is going to search for potential HEs and NEs and build as much successful relationships as possible. The “EYE SEE P 2017” partners will contribute to expand and strengthen the existing network of Intermediary Organizations (IOs). Thus, they can contribute to a key EU policy objective of internationalisation and helping new and growing businesses to take advantage of the EU’s Internal Market.
Activities
- Promotion of the EYE programme at European/national/regional/local level;
- Recruitment of New Entrepreneurs (NE) and Host Entrepreneurs (HE) interested in participating to the programme;
- Evaluation and assessment of applications of NEs and HEs, in accordance with the Programme’s policies and quality standards;
- Relationships’ Building: search of appropriate matches/exchanges for accepted NEs and HEs.
- Relationships’ Management: assistance and guidance to entrepreneurs before and during the stay;
- Follow up of completed relationships;
- Dissemination of the project and the programme.
Results
- Recruited at least 21 entrepreneurs interesting in taking part to the programme (10 NEs and 11 HEs)
- Established 14 successful relationships, of whom 9 NEs going abroad and 5 HEs hosting.
Partner
- Coordinator: CENTRUM FÜR INNOVATION UND TECHNOLOGIE (Germany)
- FACC – FEDERACIÓN ASTURIANA DE CONCEJOS (Spain)
- LECSA – LATVIJAS ASOCIACIJA EIROPAS KOPIENAS STUDIJAM (Latvia)
- CDI – COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (Macedonia)
- ADP- ZID ASSOCIATION FOR DEMOCRATIC PROSPERITY (Montenegro)
- DELTA PARTNER – STOWARZYSZENIE WSPIERANIA INICJATYW GOSPODARCZYCH (Polonia)
- PLIS – PROVINCIA DI LIVORNO SVILUPPO SRL (Italia)
- CENTRO PER LO SVILUPPO CREATIVO DANILO DOLCI (Italia)
