The Rubicon Centre is delighted to be part of the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs exchange programme. This exchange programme is financed by the European Union and offers Irish based New Entrepreneurs the opportunity to work alongside an experienced Host Entrepreneur in another European Union country, thus strengthening the skills needed to develop their own business locally.
Entrepreneurs on this exchange programme 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 New Entrepreneur (entrepreneurs in the early stage) includes both new (i.e. “would- be”) entrepreneurs, who are firmly planning to start their own business based on a viable business plan and entrepreneurs who have recently started their own business (i.e. been in operation for not more than three years).The business can be in any sector and the candidate will benefit from on-the-job training in a small or medium-sized enterprise elsewhere in the European Union, offering access to new markets, international cooperation and potential possibilities for collaboration with business partners abroad. Participants must demonstrate a sound educational and vocational background and a viable business idea. They should also demonstrate vision, commitment, initiative and creativity and candidates for the programme should also be able and willing to raise additional funds to cover the costs of the stay that exceed the EU grant. New entrepreneurs should be interested in contributing to the development of the Host Entrepreneur’s business and making available their own business skills, as well as gaining useful know- how for their own business.
The Host Entrepreneur will work with committed and motivated new entrepreneurs, who contribute with new ideas and fresh views. They will gain access to new skills and innovative knowledge provided by the new entrepreneur and will acquire knowledge about foreign markets – including business contacts – and opportunities to internationalise their business. The host entrepreneur will also benefit from the assistance of professional intermediary organisations during the search for a potential business partner and the support for building the relationship with the new entrepreneur. A host entrepreneur must be a permanent resident in one of the participating European Union countries and the owner-manager of a small or medium enterprise OR a person directly involved in entrepreneurship at SME board level. It is compulsory that you have been running a company for several years and you must be willing to share your knowledge and experience with a new entrepreneur and act as a mentor. The host entrepreneur must ensure to provide the highest quality learning experience and overall working relationship with the new entrepreneur, who must gain insight into your business to help ensure a viable business start-up when they return to their own Country.
It really is a win-win collaboration for both parties affording both entrepreneurs the opportunity to discover new European markets or business partners, whilst opening up much wider networking opportunities.
“Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs” is financed by the European Commission and operates across the European Union. The stay is partly financed by the European Commission and there is no age limit.
For further information on how you can apply or to register your interest for the exchange programme, contact George Bulman, Operations Manager, Rubicon Centre on 021 4928900 or email george.bulman@rubiconcentre.ie
