The European exchange programme for Entrepreneurs
Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs helps provide aspiring European entrepreneurs with the skills necessary to start and/or successfully run a small business in Europe. New entrepreneurs gather and exchange knowledge and business ideas with an experienced entrepreneur, with whom they stay and collaborate for a period of 1 to 6 months. The stay is partly financed by the European Commission.
Benefits
As a new entrepreneur, you will benefit from on-the-job training in a small or medium-sized enterprise elsewhere in the Participating Countries. This will ease the successful start of your business or strengthen your new enterprise. You can also benefit from access to new markets, international cooperation and potential possibilities for collaboration with business partners abroad.As a host entrepreneur, you can benefit from fresh ideas from a motivated new entrepreneur on your business. He may have specialised skills or knowledge in an area you do not master, which could also complement yours. Most host entrepreneurs enjoyed the experience so much that they decide to host other new entrepreneurs afterwards.
It is really a win-win collaboration whereby both of you can also discover new European markets or business partners, different ways of doing business.
On the longer-term, you will benefit from wide networking opportunities, and, possibly, decide to continue your collaboration, possibly as long-term business partners (e.g. joint ventures, sub-contracting activities, contractor-supplier relationships, etc).
Who can participate
- Aspiring or new entrepreneurs
- Experienced entrepreneurs
The programme is accessible to all European new and host entrepreneurs who have their permanent residence in one of 28 European Member States, Armenia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Montenegro, Moldova, Turkey, Albania, Serbia.
Funding
The European Union foresees financial assistance for new entrepreneurs, which contributes to travel costs to and from the country of the stay and covers subsistence costs during the visit. This financial assistance is paid by the new entrepreneur's intermediary organisation and its amount is subject to an agreement between both counterparts.The funding is based on payment of monthly lump sums to the entrepreneurs.
How to Enter
Step-by-step guide
Main steps to follow to participate in the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme
1. Prepare your application documents: curriculum vitae, motivation and, in addition for the new entrepreneurs, a business plan;
2. Register via the online form (link) and submit your CV and business plan (for new entrepreneurs only);
3. Build a relationship with a new or host entrepreneur abroad (two options):
a) You suggest to your local contact point a new or host entrepreneur with whom you are already in contact, or
b) You look for a new or host entrepreneur in the online catalogue with the help of your local contact point.
4. Reach an agreement with your new or host entrepreneur about the work and learning project (i.e. about the dates, objectives and activity plan of the exchange) and submit the details to your local contact point;
5. Signature of Commitment to Quality: A Commitment to Quality (link) should be (digitally) signed by all partners involved in the relationship. As a new entrepreneur, you should equally conclude a funding agreement with your local contact point;
6. Start of the stay abroad: The duration of the exchange may be from 1 to 6 months with the possibility of dividing the stay into weekly slots (providing the time span does not exceed a total of 12 months);
7. The financial assistance to the new entrepreneur will be provided in several payments, according to the agreement signed with his/her local contact point.
For more information please click "Further Official Information" below.