EUT+ supports the Startup Villages Initiative of the European Comission

The representatives of European University of Technology EUt+ together with another five alliances from among the European University alliances, participated in the forum that brought together în a meeting with the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Mariya Gabriel, within the Startup Villages initiative of the European Commission, as mentioned in the New European Research and Innovation Agenda (NEIA).

The event was hosted by the University of Salamanca, Spain, between September 5 and 6 and attended by TUCN Rector, Prof. Vasile ȚOPA, Phd, as a delegate member of EUt+ alliance. The rectors and the presidents of the eight EUt+ universities have been signed a document Pledge EUt+ Startup Villages, handed to the European Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, suggesting a full offer of services to startups who will join the Startup Villages in the different locations of EUt+.

The European Commissioner pointed out the key role of European University alliances in the creation and development of startups in rural areas, through the support they offer to the innovation ecosystems in the respective areas.

The document proposes a series of concrete actions regarding equipment and facilities (spaces for co-working, high-speed internet connection , IT equipment, prototyping equipment), training and mentoring, networking and matchmaking - all aimed to support the rural startups. The pilot areas proposed in the commitment are those in the areas of the cities of Cluj-Napoca, Cartagena, as well as rural areas in Cyprus.
 

PLEDGE - EUt+ Startup Villages

What?

EUt+ Startup Village Pass
We would like to suggest a full offer of services to startups who will join the Startup Villages in the different locations of EUt+:

Facilities & Equipment:

• Co-working spaces
• High-speed Internet connection
• Prototyping equipment
• IT equipment

Training & Mentoring

• Entrepreneurship training
• Mentoring support
• Identifying local community needs and adapting startup ideas to them
• Training local communities to be entrepreneurial & embrace innovation

Networking & Matchmaking

• Mapping of the local ecosystem
• Connection with the local businesses & local and regional government agencies
• Matchmaking events

An EUt+ SV Pass will be created to allow to startups and entrepreneurs to choose the village which corresponds the best to their needs as a matter of expertise or sector, or even try several of the villages as testbed markets. This will allow them to test their solutions in diverse contexts and backgrounds.
 

Where?

Pilots: Cluj-Napoca area, Cartagena area, Cyprus.
Further deployment to other EUt+ partner areas.
 

How?

We will leverage the initiative which was already launched by the Municipality of Cluj-Napoca in rural area adjacent to the city as the first pilot for the Alliance and we will duplicate the format to the Cartagena area in Spain and in Cyprus. As a second step, we will move on to create startup villages in all EUt+ alliance countries. Each one of these startup villages will have an expertise or a sector-oriented focus.