Blast from the past drives start-ups

prospective

Projects such as this are helping the EU to become a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy by 2020, as set out in the EU 2020 growth strategy. The EU is facing some tough challenges, including an ageing population, an insufficiently qualified workforce, the need for greater innovation, striking a balance between economic growth and environmental degradation, and ensuring secure, clean energy supplies. Regional policy projects across the EU are playing an active role in dealing with these and many other challenges, by undertaking projects designed to generate employment, raise educational achievement, develop renewable energy sources, boost productivity and give all citizens access to opportunities. The projects and the regions play a pivotal role in this, as they generate real results that contribute to achieving the strategy’s key goals.Built inside former blast furnaces in the Cité des Sciences, the Incubator aims to improve the survival and growth chances of innovative and technology-oriented start-ups, by providing help in the form of IT equipment, management advice and business support services.Igniting ideasThe Incubator will be built into the former blast furnaces which are classified national monuments, making this the first industrial heritage building in Belval to find a new lease of life. The exterior of the furnaces will remain as they are, the new building being incorporated within its walls. The business Incubator looks to host young businesses that are using Cité des Sciences research to help their development. It provides offices, equipment and infrastructure suitable for industrial or commercial use, all under reasonable conditions, as well as services whose aim is to help turn ideas into real business projects.Ready-made work areasThe Incubator has three main parts: spaces for managing the Incubator itself, private office spaces and common areas. The management spaces have offices, meeting rooms and adjacent office areas, while the private spaces are reserved for entrepreneurs. The latter must be able to operate independently without time restrictions and also have access to all the technology infrastructure necessary. The entirely adjustable private spaces can be used as offices and/or workshops.The common areas include offices and logistics infrastructure that can be used by all Incubator tenants and include the reception, cafeteria, multimedia room, meeting rooms and printing and copying area. In addition to the 6 to 8 new businesses that can ‘set up shop’ there every year, the project is expected to create 15 to 20 new jobs annually.Europe 2020 is the EU's growth strategy for the coming decade. Conscious of the rapidly changing world it lives in, the EU has set out to become a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy. To achieve this, the EU has set five ambitious targets covering employment, innovation, education, social inclusion and climate/energy. Projects such as this one, backed by EU funding, are producing real results and playing a central role in helping take the EU towards these goals.