Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SEEDplus (Strengthening Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2024-10-01 do 2025-06-30
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.
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.
The SEEDplus has advanced its objectives through targeted technical & scientific activities, significantly contributing to entrepreneurial education & innovation ecosystems.
Activities Performed:
1- Venture Creation Course (VCC): Designed and piloted at UiT, TUV, and KAU, engaging 236 students, with a second-stage Lean LaunchPad module offering hands-on startup experience.
2- University Enterprise Hubs (in progress): Provide incubation, funding advice, and facilitate industry-academia collaboration through networking & internships.
3- Startup Competitions: Local competitions promoted entrepreneurship, while international competition (ongoing) offers mentoring & acceleration for top teams.
4- Transformation Roadmaps: Customized strategies enhanced HEIs' entrepreneurial capacities.
5- Industry Integration: "Grill the Leader" workshops (completed) and internships (in progress) linked students with experts.
6- University Seed Funds: A feasibility study (ongoing) explores financial support for startups.
Main Achievements:
1- 236+ students gained entrepreneurial skills through the VCC & competitions.
2- Faculty & staff at HEIs were trained to sustain educational frameworks.
3- Collaborative events strengthened ties between universities & innovation ecosystems.
4- The project bridged innovation gaps in moderate ecosystems, aligning with EU priorities like the European Green Deal.
Outcomes of the Action:
1- Educational: The VCC is integrated into Master’s programs.
2- Economic: Competitions supported startups with potential economic impact.
3- Social: Inclusivity was promoted, targeting underrepresented groups.
4- Technical: Scalable models for education and innovation support were developed.
5- Sustainability: Actions are replicated in initiatives like BOOSTalent under the EIT HEI Initiative.
Activities Performed:
1- Venture Creation Course (VCC): Designed and piloted at UiT, TUV, and KAU, engaging 236 students, with a second-stage Lean LaunchPad module offering hands-on startup experience.
2- University Enterprise Hubs (in progress): Provide incubation, funding advice, and facilitate industry-academia collaboration through networking & internships.
3- Startup Competitions: Local competitions promoted entrepreneurship, while international competition (ongoing) offers mentoring & acceleration for top teams.
4- Transformation Roadmaps: Customized strategies enhanced HEIs' entrepreneurial capacities.
5- Industry Integration: "Grill the Leader" workshops (completed) and internships (in progress) linked students with experts.
6- University Seed Funds: A feasibility study (ongoing) explores financial support for startups.
Main Achievements:
1- 236+ students gained entrepreneurial skills through the VCC & competitions.
2- Faculty & staff at HEIs were trained to sustain educational frameworks.
3- Collaborative events strengthened ties between universities & innovation ecosystems.
4- The project bridged innovation gaps in moderate ecosystems, aligning with EU priorities like the European Green Deal.
Outcomes of the Action:
1- Educational: The VCC is integrated into Master’s programs.
2- Economic: Competitions supported startups with potential economic impact.
3- Social: Inclusivity was promoted, targeting underrepresented groups.
4- Technical: Scalable models for education and innovation support were developed.
5- Sustainability: Actions are replicated in initiatives like BOOSTalent under the EIT HEI Initiative.
The SEEDplus has advanced entrepreneurial education & innovation ecosystems, addressing gaps in entrepreneurship capacity and fostering inclusive innovation in regions with moderate or emerging ecosystems. Key outcomes include the scalable & replicable Venture Creation Course (VCC), which combines theoretical & experiential learning, integrated into Master’s programs and replicated in other EU initiatives. The University Enterprise Hubs provide centralized startup support, fostering cross-institutional collaboration and addressing societal challenges. Multi-stage startup competitions have engaged students, offering mentoring and acceleration services to develop viable ventures.
The feasibility study for University Seed Funds lays the foundation for sustainable financing, while inclusivity & ethical entrepreneurship are embedded throughout the project. SEEDplus ensures all student startups align with the European Green Deal and adopt circular economy models, contributing to a more sustainable & equitable entrepreneurial landscape.
To ensure broader uptake and long-term success, SEEDplus identifies several needs:
1- Access to Finance: Operationalizing University Seed Funds and engaging banks & financial institutions for early-stage startup support.
2- Research and Demonstration: Studies on VCC and hub effectiveness and showcasing project results through demonstrations.
3- Regulatory Harmonization: Addressing disparities in EU startup investment regulations to create a unified innovation ecosystem.
SEEDplus has established a scalable VCC, supported startup creation, promoted inclusivity, and laid foundations for sustained innovation through collaborations with initiatives like BOOSTalent and CloudEARTHi. These outcomes position SEEDplus as a key contributor to EU goals for sustainability, inclusivity & entrepreneurship.
The feasibility study for University Seed Funds lays the foundation for sustainable financing, while inclusivity & ethical entrepreneurship are embedded throughout the project. SEEDplus ensures all student startups align with the European Green Deal and adopt circular economy models, contributing to a more sustainable & equitable entrepreneurial landscape.
To ensure broader uptake and long-term success, SEEDplus identifies several needs:
1- Access to Finance: Operationalizing University Seed Funds and engaging banks & financial institutions for early-stage startup support.
2- Research and Demonstration: Studies on VCC and hub effectiveness and showcasing project results through demonstrations.
3- Regulatory Harmonization: Addressing disparities in EU startup investment regulations to create a unified innovation ecosystem.
SEEDplus has established a scalable VCC, supported startup creation, promoted inclusivity, and laid foundations for sustained innovation through collaborations with initiatives like BOOSTalent and CloudEARTHi. These outcomes position SEEDplus as a key contributor to EU goals for sustainability, inclusivity & entrepreneurship.