The SEEDplus project addresses a critical need to foster entrepreneurial ecosystems in regions with emerging or moderate innovation capacities. Despite growing interest in entrepreneurship among university students, barriers such as limited role models, insufficient awareness of support programs, entrepreneurial skills gaps, and financing difficulties hinder successful ventures. According to the OECD, while 40% of students aim to start a business within 5 years of graduation, only 5% succeed. This gap highlights the need for initiatives like SEEDplus.
SEEDplus empowers higher education institutions (HEIs) to act as catalysts for local innovation ecosystems. A diverse consortium of universities, businesses, and NGOs across Europe takes a holistic approach to meeting the needs of students and innovators, fostering entrepreneurial capacity through a comprehensive framework.
The project strengthens HEIs and ecosystems by nurturing entrepreneurial skills through the Venture Creation Course (VCC); building institutional capacity with University Enterprise Hubs & transformation roadmaps; and boosting entrepreneurial activity through startup competitions, acceleration programs, and collaboration with industry and policymakers.
By training over 200 students, SEEDplus bridges gaps in skills and knowledge while aligning its curriculum with EU priorities like sustainability and the European Green Deal. It emphasizes inclusivity, addressing social inequalities & promoting ethical entrepreneurship.
Aligned with EU initiatives like Inspiring the Minds, SEEDplus incorporates underrepresented groups, including women and indigenous populations, advancing sustainability, equity, and innovation across Europe’s entrepreneurial landscape.
