Promoting Entrepreneurial Spirit –

Case Studies

Stefan ThuisTU Dortmund

stefan.thuis@cs.uni-dortmund.de

Content

1) Entrepreneurship programmes of EU

2) EXIST – Entrepreneurship out of Science

3) G-Dur – A network at TU Dortmund

EU goals and actions in promoting entrepreneurship

Develop a more entrepreneurial culture among young people starting from school education

Administrative requirements need to be entrepreneur friendly

Easier access to investors for entrepreneurs European Commission launches various campaigns to

promote the image of entrepreneurship Co-operation with Member States to facilitate sharing of

experiences Difficulties of ethnic minorities have to be overcome All actions have a comprehensive framework:

“The Small Business Act for Europe (SBA)”

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Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs

Young entrepreneurs can work for 1 to 6 months with an experienced entrepreneur in another EU country

Exchange of experience between experienced and new entrepreneurs

Access to new markets and potential business partners for new entrepreneurs

Enhances Networking Experienced entrepreneurs can also profit by developing

new contacts and discovering business opportunities in other countries

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Entrepreneurship in Education

Mini-companies run by students at school deliver a realistic insight into the functionality of economy and stimulate entrepreneurial attitudes

Entrepreneurship education at universities should be accessible to all students, also of non-business disciplines

Promoting entrepreneurial spirit also to trainees in vocational education

Call for project proposals lead to various EU projects in this context

“Oslo Agenda” was elaborated as the policy framework to promote entrepreneurial mindset in education

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Entrepreneurship in audiovisual media

Entrepreneurial gap between Europe and other countries Media can help to promote entrepreneurship A project was initiated to analyze the relation between

media and people’s attitude towards entrepreneurship Member States co-operate with media to promote

entrepreneurship

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Promotion of Female Entrepreneurship

The “European Network of Female Entrepreneurship Ambassadors” was founded was founded to encourage more women to become entrepreneurs

“WES”, a network to promote women’s entrepreneurship was launched to: Raise visibility of existing female entrepreneurs Create a climate that is favorable to female

entrepreneurs Increase the number of new women entrepreneurs Increase the size of existing female run businesses

“Woman Entrepreneurship Portal” aims to provide a link between networks, projects and events that relate to Female Entrepreneurship

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Entrepreneurship for migrants and ethnic minorities

The number of entrepreneurs among migrants and members of ethnic minorities compared to nationals is disproportionately high

They face particular problems in addition to those problems all entrepreneurs face: Access to financial support Language barriers Limited business, management and marketing skills Over-concentrated in low entry threshold activities

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EXIST – Entrepreneurship out of Science

EXIST is a program of the German Ministry of Economy and Technology which is co-financed by European Social Fund

Main goal is to sensitize university students and scientific assistants to entrepreneurship

Support is provided by consulting, coaching and infrastructural help

Other goals of EXIST: Spread entrepreneurial spirit Improve entrepreneurial climate Enhancement of formation of technology orientated and

knowledge based companies

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The 3 pillars of EXIST

Culture of Entrepreneurship: Universities are supported in finding and implementing

a strategy of entrepreneurial culture and spirit Business Start-up Grant:

Financial support for preparation of technology orientated and knowledge based entrepreneurship projects of students, alumni and scientists

Transfer of Research: Promotion of development work to prove technical

feasibility and preparations for formation of companies

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EXIST networks

15 networks were funded at universities: “Start 1998” was a project where 5 model regions

offered the conditions to motivate, support and train entrepreneurs

An adjusted program was developed for students, alumni and scientists

“Start 2002” established 10 more networks and incorporated experience of Start 1998

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Network to promote academic entrepreneurship

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Project co-ordinatorsProfessors / Promoters

UniversitiesChair of

Entrepr.ship

Public relations

Infrastructure

Practitioner

Research institutesTraining facilities

Regional press

Chambers of industry and commerce

Public consulting facilities

Business development agency Entrepreneurs

Venture capital companies

Business angels

Trusts

Banks

Companies

SMEs

Alumni

Corporate consultants

ConcernsFederal states

State

Financing of formation

Regional support offers

PolicyPromotion

Supra-regional co-operation

Exchange of experiences across all networks

Required:- business climate- stimulus to co-operate- goal and task orientated co-operation- transparency, communication and trust

Stages of EXIST

1998: Ideas competition EXIST I Universities who have to co-operate with at least 3 partners

from science, economy and politics can submit their ideas. 5 model regions are picked by a jury among 200 submissions

2000: EXIST-SEED Students, alumni and scientists of the 5 selected model

regions receive money to make a living and a fixed amount for coaching and preparation of formation to convert their business idea to a business plan at university

2002: EXIST II 10 additional networks were selected

2006: EXIST III Non-academic public research institutions can participate

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EXIST-SEED

Universities and Mentors

Evaluation after 6 monthsB

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Bu

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Form

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Funding by EXIST-Seed(max. 1 year)

Entrepr. ship network at university

Universities and Mentors

Guidance by mentors

Use of university resources

External coaching

Outcome of EXIST

The 15 regions could gain experience in implementing network concepts which stimulate entrepreneurship

Projects should be primarily carried out by universities Knowledge transfer to students by regular teaching staff

together with corporate staff proved to be most appropriate

Intensive marketing by EXIST initiatives is needed to sensitize students for the subject of entrepreneurship

Non-academic consulting institutions can enhance the flexibility and working capacity of the network

Participating universities have assured to permanently include the subject of entrepreneurship into their curriculums

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Perspective of EXIST

Inspire other regions to copy the EXIST concept Force the transfer of outcome and experience from the

EXIST regions Further enhancements to a culture of entrepreneurship at

universities Universities need further impulses from exterior to

implement the necessary changes

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G-Dur – A network at TU Dortmund

Founded in 2002 Received funding as part of EXIST Project partners: TU Dortmund, University of Applied

Science Dortmund, the city of Dortmund and technology centers of the region

More than 60 enterprises where founded with support of G-Dur

Since 2007, G-Dur offers sector-specific support to cultural and creative industry

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Activities of G-Dur

Teaching program for self-employment Tutors offering guidance to formation of enterprises at

Dortmund’s universities Support of various entrepreneurship initiatives and

contests Offering of office space except from charges

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Thank you for your attention!