Entrepreneurship in the Emerging Paradigm Erasmus Project

Project Title

Entrepreneurship in the Emerging Paradigm

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment; Environment and climate change

Project Summary

Context & Background of the Project
Sustainability is a key goal for European societies. Fundamentally new approaches and solutions are required to gain a foothold on ecological, societal, and economic crises and achieve sustainability. The “sustainability crisis” is the challenge to shape a more desirable sustainable future. As with all crises, it unlocks the creativity and proactivity of young entrepreneurs. Even more so now that most European countries struggle with youth unemployment as a result of the economic crisis.

Objectives
Social and environmental entrepreneurship requires a complex set of skills and a strong sense of purpose. One major challenge that young entrepreneurs face is the lack of guidance and mentorship. This project aims to tackle these issues by collecting the best experiences around entrepreneurship in the emerging paradigm. We aim to build a community of practice where young entrepreneurs support each other while creating a desirable alternative to the current sustainability and unemployment crises.

Number & Profile of participating organisations
The project brought together 12 young sustainability-minded entrepreneurs from eight countries in Europe. The partners all have diverse expertise and focus; most have a background in sustainability, in addition to other studies and professional experience such as design or process facilitation. Through the project, the partners have built on each others’ expertise and exchanged knowledge and good practices.

Description of undertaken main activities
– Online Meetings
Over the course of this project, the partners have regularly come together in several online meetings to manage the project and exchange experiences. The meetings served to organise the project, prepare for upcoming events, and share status updates. In addition, online help and learning sessions allowed the participating organisations to support each other and learn about new tools and concepts that can support their work. A major part of the online work was the creation of an online platform where young entrepreneurs can share their stories and best practices.

-Reseach and content development
All partners were involved in generating content for the intellectual output. Amoung others this, we interviewed social entrepreneurs in our countries, gathered practises, tested practices, interviewed each other, analyzed the contend and researched a suitable form to present the contend

– Transnational Meetings
The partners also came together for three transnational project meetings in Triesen (Liechtenstein), Barcelona (Catalonia), and Blumau (Austria) to further the project, work on intellectual outputs and connect with local entrepreneurs. During the multiplier event in Plovdiv (Bulgaria), the project partners shared their insights with peers at a four day workshop and gave them space for feedback of their stories and best practices. During each of these meetings the partners connected with young entrepreneurs from the local community. In Barcelona, locals were an integral part of the event and in Plovdiv, two partners offered storytelling and discussion sessions outside the official event.

Results & Impact attained
The project activities facilitated the exchange of knowledge and practices between the partners and will continue to serve as space for innovation that is further applied in each organisation’s local context. Reversely, local knowledge and good practices on sustainable entrepreneurship were brought to the group in order to enhance the strategic partnership. During the multiplier event and with the help of the online platform, this supportive community of practice was opened to broader audiences, creating an all-inclusive and evolving support network for young social and environmental entrepreneurs. The intellectual output can be accessed under this link: www.weareeep.eu

If relevant, longer-term benefits.
The project generally compliments many EU initiatives, like the Erasmus programme for Young Entrepreneurs and addresses many EU reports on Young Entrepreneurs. The online platform generated through this partnership will be a helpful tool for young entrepreneurs.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 80000 Eur

Project Coordinator

Verein Symbiose & Country: LI

Project Partners

• Constellations Solla Zophoniasdottir
• Web of Life
• FraBer Entrepreneurs
• Art of Hosting Bulgaria
• Nachaltigkeit durch resonantes Arbeiten
• COOPANAME
• HOLON