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Call key data
Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs - junior call
Funding Program
Single Market Programme
Call number
SMP-COSME-2024-EYEJR-01
deadlines
Opening
10.04.2024
Deadline
27.06.2024 17:00
Funding rate
75-100%
Call budget
€ 5,000,000.00
Estimated EU contribution per project
€ 1,000,000.00
Link to the call
Link to the submission
Call content
short description
Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs is a cross-border exchange programme which gives new or aspiring entrepreneurs the chance to learn from experienced entrepreneurs running small businesses in other participating countries, while giving experienced entrepreneurs access to innovative ideas and new partner markets.
Call objectives
The general objective of the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme is to enhance entrepreneurship, including potential start-up entrepreneurs, develop international perspectives and partnerships, and foster the innovative capacities of SMEs. It thereby supports the competitiveness of European SMEs.
The purpose of this call for proposals is to select Intermediary Organisations (IOs) to implement the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme at local level. They will in particular recruit the entrepreneurs and assist them to benefit from the programme. This call for proposals will therefore support actions of organisations enhancing and facilitating the exchanges between new and host entrepreneurs.
The call is not targeted directly at entrepreneurs willing to participate in an EYE exchange. Interested entrepreneurs must contact the selected IOs currently implementing the programme.
The specific objectives of this call for proposals are:
- To provide on-the-job-training for new entrepreneurs from SMP participating countries with established host entrepreneurs in small and medium-sized enterprises abroad in the participating countries in order to facilitate a successful start-up, and development of their business ideas
- To foster sharing of experience and information between entrepreneurs on the obstacles and challenges of starting up and developing their businesses
- To enhance market access and identification of potential partners for new and established entrepreneurs in other participating countries
- To support networking between entrepreneurs from different participating countries by building on knowledge and experience
- To contribute to fostering the creation of sustainable, digital and resilient businesses
read more
Expected effects and impacts
According to the 2024-27 SMP Work Programme, the below results have to be achieved by January 2028, i.e. by the end of projects co-financed under this call for proposals:
- Between 2,000 and 2,500 entrepreneurs matched;
- Around 2,000 entrepreneurs registered;
- Between 30 and 50 Intermediary Organisations involved in the implementation of the programme;
- About 20 countries covered;
- Rate of successful exchanges above 90% (entrepreneurs’ feedback).
Expected results
Proposals must focus on matching new with host entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs from any economic sector are welcome to participate, a priori. The eligibility criteria for new and host entrepreneurs as stipulated in the “Quality Manual” have to be respected.
For this call for proposals, specific targets are required:
- Proposals must indicate the number of entrepreneurs involved in successful relationships (exchanges). This is the core key performance indicator to be monitored in the course of project implementation. The minimum required is stipulated in section 2, and therein under Expected results at individual project level, and the targets per project partner/affiliated entity, including the coordinator, must be specified.
- Proposals must indicate the number per specific entrepreneur target group compared to the overall proposal target as shown in the Annex 5 – a mandatory annex to be submitted with the proposal submission template.
Applicants must also include an approximate number of entrepreneurs to be recruited per target group (compulsory and optional target groups, see below).
The proposal should also indicate how this specific target will be achieved.
For instance, if a proposal wishes to recruit new entrepreneurs to be matched to non SMP countries, it must include:
- an approximate number of those entrepreneurs to be matched
- an approximate number of entrepreneurs recruited for this purpose, and
- a narrative how to achieve this.
This data must be filled in the Application Form – Part B – Annex 5.
The following rules apply:
- Compulsory target groups: Proposals shall include in their target groups entrepreneurs who propose “sustainable/green” and “digital” business models. Proposals shall also aim at ensuring a gender balance of recruited entrepreneurs (female entrepreneurs), both new and hosts.
- Optional target groups: Proposals may also suggest an indicative target of entrepreneurs from underrepresented countries to be matched. Proposals may also match new entrepreneurs from SMP participating countries to established entrepreneurs in non-SMP countries (Canada, Singapore, UK, and USA).
Pages 9-16 of the call document describe the activities that can be funded under this call for proposals.
read more
Eligibility Criteria
Regions / countries for funding
Moldova (Moldova), Albania (Shqipëria), Armenia (Հայաստան), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina / Босна и Херцеговина), Georgia (საქართველო), Iceland (Ísland), Kosovo (Kosova/Kosovë / Косово), Liechtenstein, Montenegro (Црна Гора), North Macedonia (Северна Македонија), Norway (Norge), Serbia (Srbija/Сpбија), Türkiye, Ukraine (Україна)
eligible entities
Education and training institution, International organization, Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Other, Private institution, incl. private company (private for profit), Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs), Research Institution incl. University, Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)
Mandatory partnership
Yes
Project Partnership
Proposals must be submitted by a consortium composed of minimum 5 to maximum 8 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities), which complies with the following conditions:
- from minimum 4 different eligible countries
- maximum 2 applicants can be from the same country
- the consortium leader must have at least 2 years of experience in implementing the EYE programme.
- At the time of the project start, applicants may not implement more than two (2) EYE grants, under different cycles, at the same time. Thus, an organisation that currently implements two (2) EYE projects with an implementation date beyond 01/02/2025 is not allowed to apply under this call.
In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
- non-EU countries: listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Single Market Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (list of participating countries)
- Applicants may be, for instance:
- Public entities responsible for or active in the fields of economic affairs, enterprise, business support or related issues
- Chambers of commerce and industry, chambers of (handi)crafts or similar bodies
- Business support organisations, start-up centres, incubators, technology parks etc.
- Business associations and business support networks
- Public and private entities offering business support services
- Institutes of (higher) education such as universities or institutes for vocational education and training.
Specific cases:
Entities from other countries (not listed above) are exceptionally eligible, if the granting authority considers their participation essential for the implementation of the action.
Natural persons are NOT eligible (with the exception of self employed persons, i.e. sole traders, where the company does not have legal personality separate from that of the natural person).
International organisations are eligible. The rules on eligible countries do not apply to them.
Entities which do not have legal personality under their national law may exceptionally participate, provided that their representatives have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf, and offer guarantees for the protection of the EU financial interests equivalent to that offered by legal persons.
EU bodies (with the exception of the European Commission Joint Research Centre) can NOT be part of the consortium.
Entities composed of members may participate as ‘sole beneficiaries’ or ‘beneficiaries without legal personality’. Please note that if the action will be implemented by the members, they should also participate (either as beneficiaries or as affiliated entities, otherwise their costs will NOT be eligible).
Countries currently negotiating association agreements — Beneficiaries from countries with ongoing negotiations (see above) may participate in the call and can sign grants if the negotiations are concluded before grant signature (with retroactive effect, if provided in the agreement).
other eligibility criteria
Financial support to third parties:
At least 50% of the estimated maximum grant must be reserved for financial support to third parties (FSTP), i.e. new entrepreneurs.
FSTP is allowed under the following conditions:
- Costs for financial support to third parties must be part of the project costs and shall be included under the corresponding cost heading.
- It can only cover the financial assistance paid to new entrepreneurs in support of the costs linked to their expenditure for travel, accommodation, subsistence and other miscellaneous expenses occurred during a stay with the host entrepreneur in another participating country or in Canada, Singapore, UK and USA.
- The amounts per entrepreneur are defined in the overview of monthly financial assistance paid by Intermediary Organisations to third parties (New Entrepreneurs), in Annex 1 of the Quality Manual. Applicants must elaborate how the financial support to third parties will be managed and how the activities of the NEs abroad will comply with the programme rules.
- The proposal must also clearly describe the results to be obtained.
- If the applicant proposes new entrepreneurs to benefit from an exchange in the UK, USA, Canada or Singapore, the indicative target and the estimated amount have to be specified as well. In addition, the applicants are expected to specify the amount they intend to use considering the need to ensure local promotion and support with recruitment and follow-up of the exchange in these destinations. Geographic location (target countries) Proposals must relate to activities taking place in the eligible countries (see above) and in Canada, Singapore, UK and USA.
Duration:
Projects are expected to last 36 months. They must start on 01/02/2025 and are expected to end on 31/01/2028. Extensions are only possible, if duly justified and through an amendment.
Funding rate:
The costs will be reimbursed at the funding rates fixed in the Grant Agreement (100% for the costs for providing financial support to third parties, i.e., new entrepreneurs, and 75% for all other cost categories).
Additional information
Topics
Relevance for EU Macro-Region
EUSAIR - EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region, EUSALP - EU Strategy for the Alpine Space, EUSBSR - EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, EUSDR - EU Strategy for the Danube Region
UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs)
project duration
36 months
Additional Information
Proposals must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System (accessible via the Topic page in the Search Funding & Tenders section). Paper submissions are NOT possible.
Proposals (including annexes and supporting documents) must be submitted using the forms provided inside the Submission System ( NOT the documents available on the Topic page — they are only for information).
Proposals must be complete and contain all the requested information and all required annexes and supporting documents:
- Application Form Part A — contains administrative information about the participants (future coordinator, beneficiaries and affiliated entities) and the summarised budget for the project (to be filled in directly online)
- Application Form Part B — contains the technical description of the project (to be downloaded from the Portal Submission System, completed and then assembled and re-uploaded)
- mandatory annexes and supporting documents (templates available to be downloaded from the Portal Submission System, completed, assembled and re-uploaded):
- detailed budget table/calculator (mandatory excel template available in the Submission System)
- CVs (short outlines) of core project team: not applicable
- activity reports of last year (no specific template available; reports are to be uploaded under “Other Annexes” or the link to a report to be included at the end of the Application Form Part B)
- list of previous projects (key projects for the last 2 years) (template available in Part B)
- Annex 5 - Additional information to Part B (available from EISMEA’s webpage here). This mandatory annex requests key information complementary to the Application Form Part B (technical description of the project and specific targets for EYE projects) and must be uploaded under “Other Annexes”.
Your application must be readable, accessible and printable. Proposals are limited to maximum 50 pages (Part B). Evaluators will not consider any additional pages.
Call documents
SMP-COSME-2024-EYEJR Call documentSMP-COSME-2024-EYEJR Call document(1014kB)
Contact
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