Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs A new European exchange programme

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs

A new European exchange programme

Official launch 19 February 2009

Maive RUTE

Director for Promotion of SMEs competitiveness, European Commission

Ben BUTTERS

Director of European Affairs, EUROCHAMBRES

19/04/234

Main actors

Beneficiaries• New Entrepreneurs (NE)• Host Entrepreneurs (HE)

Facilitators• Intermediary Organisations (IOs)• Support Office • European Commission

Concept

• New entrepreneurs travel to an experienced entrepreneur in another EU country and work with him/her for 1 to 6 months.

• The matching of the new entrepreneurs with the host entrepreneurs is carried out with the help of the intermediary organisations.

• The objective is to help new entrepreneurs to acquire relevant skills for running and developing an SME; taking full advantages of opportunities provided by the internal market.

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How does it work?

• STEP 1: Application• STEP 2: Matching• STEP 3: Contracting and preparation• STEP 4: Stay abroad

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IO

STEP 1: Online application

• Application from NE;

• Application checked by IO;

• HE states interest to participate;

• File is checked by IO.NE

HE

www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu

IO

NE

IO

STEP 2: Matching

• Matching of NE and HE with the help of the 2 IOs

STEP 3: Contracting and preparation

• HE, NE and IOs establish agreements;

• NE does pre-departure induction;

• NE receives a grant.

IO HE

NE

IO

HE

STEP 4: stay abroad

• Duration: 1-6 months;

• On-site support provided by the host IO to the NE;

• Reporting about the exchange. IO

Wolfgang TREINENEIC Trier (IHK/Hwk-Europa- und

Innovationscentre GmbH)

The example of the European Partnership“go for xChange”

(Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany; Moselle, France)

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Presentation of the European partnership “go for xChange”

Two intermediary organisations (IOs):

a) EIC Trier (IHK/Hwk- Europa- und Innovationscentre GmbH), Germany

b) Synergie S.A., France

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IO services within the programme

Professional support before, during and after the exchange• Active research for suitable new entrepreneurs (NE) and host

entrepreneurs (HE);• Assessing the quality of the applications;• Proactive matching of the relationships;• Organisation of a mutually beneficial exchange for the NEs

and HEs;• On-site support of the NEs.

IO services within the programme

• Organising networking opportunities:– Meetings with local / regional business incubators to assist him in getting

to know the foreign market;– Contact with local networks of entrepreneurs to extend his personal

contacts to other entrepreneurs in the foreign country;– Contact with local / regional partners of the Enterprise Europe Network to

inform him on opportunities of European markets;– Possibility to attend specific seminars and courses of local Chambers and

training centres to improve personal business skills;– ….

• Ensuring high standards and evaluation feedback;• Reporting

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Benefits for the new entrepreneur (Maria)

Maria has:• Gained valuable experience in running a business in a

relevant field, of potential pitfalls and how to avoid them;• Gained knowledge on access to finance, business

management, marketing, etc…allowing her to refine her business plan;

• Acquired international perspectives, opening her eyes to possible opportunities beyond the Costa Del Sol or Spanish market and a potential business partner.

Benefits for the host entrepreneur (Günther)

Günther has: • developed a new potential business partnership;• benefited from the input of a motivated & creative

collaborator;• developed new perspectives and information on the

Spanish market;• the possibility to network with other experienced host

entrepreneurs in other EU-member states;• the satisfaction of mentoring a potential new entrepreneur.

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Registration

Interested new and experienced entrepreneurs shall apply for the programme via the website:

www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu

(from 19/02/2009 onwards)

870 stays abroad shall be organised in 2009-2010 and registrations should be done by December

2009.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!