Ecosys4you - Engaging Entrepreneurial Ecosystems for the Youth

Ecosys4you develops a new and complementary understanding of entrepreneurship education by viewing ecosystems as collective educational actors essential to “raise” a start-up, and by empowering students to be an integral active part of ecosystems. 

The project partnership is committed to improve the flow of innovation resources between entrepreneurial ecosystems of the regions Ruhr in Germany, Varna in Bulgaria, and Maribor in Slovenia. It develops an entrepreneurial education programme by establishing innovative interlinkages between the actors of the entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Ecosys4you is a project funded by the EC Horizon Europe Programme, with  duration of 36 months: (06/2023 – 05/2026)

The main objectives are:

• To establish improved flows of innovation resources between the entrepreneurial ecosystems of the Ruhr, Varna and Maribor regions. Business experts of the private sector significantly contribute their expertise to increase innovation potential and to establish and sustain the flow of resources.

• To strengthen the innovation potential of the entrepreneurial ecosystems by stimulating and supporting people, especially the youth, to create new businesses and increase the flow of skilled employees to start-ups and young companies. A focus will be on improving digital competencies, for example, by raising awareness for cyber security as a fundamental part of business development in the digital era.

• To foster entrepreneurial thinking and practical knowledge by interlinking higher education institutions, entrepreneurs, and intermediaries inside and across the ecosystems. Students are empowered to be part of it as entrepreneurs. 

Project partners:

1.  Institute for Work and Technology, Westphalian University of Applied Sciences - Lead Partner 

2. AWARE7 GmbH https://aware7.com/

3. Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship and Innovations - Varna https://www.rapiv.org/en/,

4. DOBA Business School https://www.dobabusiness-school.eu/ 

Ecosys4you mobilises innovation resources in four dimensions: education, networking, market expansion, and people. The programme is open to students and young alumni from HEIs, professional schools, graduates who wish to find a company or other young people who wish to discover entrepreneurial spirit.

The programme’s activities connect formal education in HEIs with the ecosystems in their entirety. 

The focus is on developing a two-year cross-ecosystem program for young people with passion for entrepreneurship. The programme includes network-based exchange activities with the expertise of the three ecosystems, especially:

• - mentoring;
• - real-world challenges; 
• - internships at start-ups. 

Тhe programme development will enable synergies in entrepreneurship education, networking, and market expansion between the three ecosystems and beyond.

Young people interested in founding a company develop entrepreneurial expertise by learning from founders, start-ups, and real-world business development challenges.