European Entrepreneurs Everywhere

ended

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) play a crucial role in the European Union: they are the backbone of the European economy, grouping 99% of all EU businesses. They also play a vital role in our lives, as they provide for two-thirds of all working places in the private sector and contribute for more than half the total added value generated by EU enterprises. Defending, strengthening, empowering, increasing the number of SME in the EU is one of the keys to our future. Project E.E.E. targets all those objectives, aiming at recruiting 148 new entrepreneurs and providing 111 of them with the chance to enforce, better develop, make their business idea truly international, by spending an empowering period in another EU country looking, listening, discussing, learning from experienced, successful entrepreneurs, at the same time embettering their language and business skills. All co-financed by the European Union. Accordingly, E.E.E. aims at recruiting 148 Host entrepreneurs and at offering 111 of them the opportunity to get in touch with new ideas, strategies, possible suppliers and/or clients, mentoring possible future leading European businesspersons and, more practically, opening new relationships and –why not– new markets. Overall, the project aims at recruiting 296 entrepreneurs and delivering 222 relationships. Careful selection, thorough information, accurate needs analysis and learning project planning, strong preparation, customized tutoring and follow-up, highest-level quality assurance procedures, wide range of destinations and sectors –with special attention paid to women entrepreneurship, environment and sustainability, innovation– complete the picture of E.E.E.. E.E.E. is performed by a wide consortium, grouping training centres, colleges, chambers of crafts, employers’ associations, NGOs, innovation centres: a network of 10 organisations in 8 European countries, capable to reach and involve directly over 5.000 SME.