"Investing in entrepreneurship education is one of the highest return investments Europe can make" is one of the main conclusions according to ENTREPRENEURSHIP 2020 ACTION PLAN. Entrepreneurship education is identified as a priority in the Europe 2020 Strategy, in the EU’s policy framework on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and in the EU’s key strategies for education and training. Also, "Without adequate funding and without liquidity, no business can operate, invest and grow – indeed, access to finance is one of the levers for growth for SMEs. According to a public consultation launched by the Commission in July 2012, access to finance constitutes one of the most significant constraints on growth and entrepreneurship in Europe". (Communication from the Commission to the Parliament, Council, European Social and Economic Committee and the Committee of Regions ENTREPRENEURSHIP 2020 Agenda, Reigniting the entrepreneurial spirit in Europe). In accordance with those EU priorities and national needs identified, Civitas Foundation for Civil Society - Cluj-Napoca Branch Romania (https://www.civitas.ro/), DANIS Foundation for managerial development, Romania (http://www.fundatiadanis.ro/english/), MATERAHUB Consortium, Italy (https://www.materahub.com/en/), The Center for Non profit Legislation Romania, SYNTHESIS Center for Research and Education, Cyprus (https://www.synthesis-center.org/), DIESIS COOP Belgium (https://www.diesis.coop/) aim with this project, to increase motivation and to improve the guidance that adult with entrepreneurial initiatives for starting social business and enhance social cohesion in local communities until 2021. We consider social entrepreneurship one of the most efficient ways to contribute to job creation and economic growth, to social cohesion and well being of local communities. We do not want to generate results and impact only through research and training, but also take the next step by creating a multilingual digital crowdfunding platform, which can become an innovative communication tool for best social impact business ideas and also best practice model of fundraising social entrepreneurs and start-ups. The objectives of our project are: Developing an integrated innovative social incubation business model for entrepreneurs in order to start business with strong social impact in local communities until 2021, Providing guidance and training for 60 adults and 10 partners' employees who will improve their skills by learning all steps and tools of the social incubation business models matching the community realities, Creating an innovative, alternative funding instrument for social entrepreneurs and businesses and increasing visibility of the social entrepreneurship in more than the 4 partner countries as innovative solution to community well being and generating new jobs. This project is developed by organizations that understand social economy and social innovation, that are up-to-date with all European studies and recommendations. We will develop an integrated innovative social incubation business model for entrepreneurs by conducting a research on the identification of incubation models for social entrepreneurs and enterprises in Romania, Italy and Cyprus, using also other relevant case studies from non-partnership countries. The results of the research and the case studies will conduct to the 3 models of social business incubation matching the specific needs identified in every country - 3 intellectual output and to the integrated guide / tool-kit of social business incubation for entrepreneurs - also an intellectual output. Those results will become the foundation of the 3 policy brief (Romania, Italy, Cyprus) containing recommendations regarding social entrepreneurship and funding for national central authorities and European Institutions (Belgium). We also will develop 2 human centered training designs on social entrepreneurship for both partner employees and adults with entrepreneurial initiatives - Intellectual output and will organize transnational and deliver two 5 days training sessions on social entrepreneurship for both partner employees and adults with entrepreneurial initiative. The training session for employees will be organised in Cyprus and the training session for 60 adults in Italy. In training sessions we will discuss on the 60 ideas of social business. But we do not stop here. We will create an innovative, alternative funding instrument for social entrepreneurs and businesses, a transnational multilingual crowdfunding platform with all resources generated by the project - Intellectual output. 12 crowdfunding campaigns will be launched, 2 by each partner from Romania and 3 by Synthesis Cyprus and 3 Matera Hub. The project will impact private businesses, local/central authorities, European institutions, universities/students, local action groups, education leaders, training experts, private investors, mentors, hubs and entrepreneurs in 4 partner countries
The objectives of our project were: 1. Developing an integrated, innovative social business incubation model for entrepreneurs in order to start business with strong social impact in local communities (IO1, IO5, IO6, IO2); 2. Providing guidance and training for 60 adults and 10 partners' employees who will improve their skills by learning all steps and tools of the social business incubation models matching the community realities (IO4, IO7); 3. Creating an innovative, alternative funding instrument for social entrepreneurs and businesses (IO3); 4. Increasing visibility of the social entrepreneurship in more than the 4 partner countries as innovative solution to community wellbeing and generating new jobs.
In accordance with the current EU priorities and national needs identified, the project consortium of six members from 4 EU countries, all of them with experience in supporting social economy, decided to contribute to the development of the sector through this partnership, aiming to increase motivation and to improve the guidance that adults with entrepreneurial initiatives have. The intention of the project was to create learning contexts and useful resources for (social) entrepreneurs and (social) business incubators to grow and thrive, therefore to enhance social cohesion in local communities. The project was developed by organizations that understand social economy and social innovation, that are up-to-date with all European studies and recommendations. In accordance with the mission and current activities of the partners, for this project we put our focus on the subject of social entrepreneurship, as one of the most efficient ways to contribute to job creation and economic growth, to social cohesion and wellbeing of local communities.