Entrepreneurship Archives

Medium-sized companies in Germany are doing better than ever, according to a semiannual study measuring economic conditions and prospects but the horizon is dark, with results showing growing pessimism over the geopolitical climate. EURACTIV Germany reports.

SPECIAL REPORT/ The European Union’s “digital champions”, an industry coalition, wrote an open letter Monday (5 May) to the lead candidates vying to become the next European Commission President.

The European Parliament has passed a bill on Tuesday (4 February) making it easier for online music streaming sites to provide services in several European countries, with the aim of boosting entrepreneurship in online music services.

Greens in the European Parliament abstained from voting on a report aimed at tackling youth unemployment, calling it “weak” and saying that it puts too much of the blame on young people.

More entrepreneurs are needed to boost growth and employment, the European Commission said yesterday (9 January) in unveiling an action plan to "revolutionise entrepreneurial culture in Europe".

The European Commission is to set up a new Web Entrepreneurs Partnership as part of an offensive to catch up with the US on technology innovation, according to the EU's Commissioner for the Digital Agenda, Neelie Kroes.

European schools must teach students to become more entrepreneurial and develop a positive attitude towards risk-taking, EU Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said in an exclusive interview with EURACTIV.

The European Commission lacks models for calculating efficiency in the use of research funds and predicting how much employment they will create – casting doubt over its forecast of 3.7 million new jobs, a US expert told lawmakers.

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), set up three years ago, is still in its infancy but the European Commission has already called for a €3-billion budget boost to help it reach cruising speed despite criticisms over meagre results and excessive bureaucracy.

European students want businessmen to get more heavily involved in university education rather than reserving their voluntary teaching for high schools.

While the EU is marred by a severe debt crisis and a lackluster economic recovery, schools and companies are trying to make the changes necessary to adapt the workforce to new challenges and increase entrepreneurship and competitiveness. 

Most business leaders believe that Europe's young people lack the so-called 'soft skills' that are considered essential by many employers. Closer links between business and schools are seen as a way to bridge this skills gap.

The European Commission is being advised once more to focus on measures to provide support and financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are considered as the most important source of employment growth in the EU.

Women entrepreneurs got an important nod from the European Commission in its review of the Small Business Act this week, and advocates hope it signals renewed energy and funding for EU initiatives.

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs was the European Commission's attempt to mimic the success of its student exchange programme, which helps thousands to study abroad every year. But two years' after its launch, it is not clear whether the programme will be continued after 2013.

Entrepreneurs want governments to incentivise big businesses to sublet empty office space to smaller firms, as high rents in European capitals remain a barrier to growth.

Around 80% of start-ups at a business incubator in the south of Ireland are thriving five years after launch – a success rate far greater than is typical for new ventures. Josette O'Mullane, coordinator of the Genesis Enterprise Programme - shortlisted for the European Enterprise Awards - says the on-campus business centre provides new companies with a safety net while they find their feet.

Instilling an entrepreneurial spirit in young people has become a popular idea in EU policy circles, but some businesspeople say initiative is something that comes from within and cannot be taught.

'Northern countries' such as Finland, Germany and Sweden remain the favourite locations of businessmen, thanks to good start-up advice and access to finance, a new study has found.

A pilot scheme which pays new entrepreneurs to learn from experienced businesspeople in other European countries will be expanded and put on a permanent footing, according to EU officials.

Italian plastic surgeon Luca Poli, who benefited from the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme, said the three months he spent shadowing a businesswoman in Spain were key to the success of his new clinic in Milan. The EU scheme has been extended for a second year and could soon become a permanent fixture. 

The "green economy" will be at the heart of the EU's new industrial policy, according to Antonio Tajani, who has been nominated to the position of European commissioner for industry and entrepreneurship. Tajani will prioritise tourism, innovation and access to finance for SMEs in a bid to kick-start growth.

As the European Commission pushes for greater gender balance in its own ranks, the EURACTIV network takes a look at how women across Europe fare in the business world.

EU SME policies encouraging women to start businesses are an important first step in achieving greater European entrepreneurship equality, but are not sufficiently oriented towards growth, Irish entrepreneurial expert Paula Fitzsimons told EURACTIV in an interview.