Project overview
Transnational Action to advance SKills and competences FOR Inclusive entrepreneurship and Social Innovation
Entrepreneurship in central Europe is marked by limited inclusiveness. Women, migrants, and young people are still underrepresented when it comes to building a business. TASK4ISI embraces the potential of these “missing” entrepreneurs by establishing inclusive “entrepreneurship and social innovation hubs”. The partners develop and test specific learning programmes and craft strategies for a sustainable and inclusive growth of central European regions. In their pilots, the partners train 200 under-represented entrepreneurs and develop five transferrable toolkits to leverage skills for inclusive entrepreneurship.
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2,06m €
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Project Budget
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80%
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of the Budget is funded by ERDF
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6
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Countries
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7
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Regions
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11
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Partners
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5
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Pilots
Duration
Start date
End date
Project progress
About the project
A partnership of 11 partners and 6 associated partners cooperate in TASK4ISI to increase competences, skills and innovation capacities of 200 under-represented entrepreneurs, to foster territorial inclusive and social innovation, and to stimulate regional competitiveness while meeting the need for social cohesion.
TASK4ISI contributes to innovate the S3 logic and to conciliate the smart growth agenda with inclusive growth agendas, towards a Smart Specialisation Strategy for Sustainable and Inclusive growth (S4+). To achieve this, TASK4ISI establishes local Inclusive entrepreneurship and Social Innovation Hubs (ISI HUBs) to leverage the potential of Cooperation in a Transnational Network with 108 members.
The partnership jointly develops a Framework Programme of learning facilities and support services for aspirant and early entrepreneurs; contextualisation processes lead to regional Business Skills and Matchmaking Programmes that are piloted and validated in 5 implementation regions.
From pilot evidences, 5 Toolkits for Inclusive Entrepreneurship are defined and ready to be upscaled; furthermore, a Joint Strategy Agenda and 5 Local Action Plans Packages are issued contributing to make Inclusive Entrepreneurship one of the priorities of S4+.
After 30 months, TASK4ISI expects to increase competitiveness of involved regions, through strengthened skills, tailored services for social innovation and policy learning capacities for S4+.
Project partnership
Project partners
Lead partner
Krakow University of Economics
Department of Public Management
Project partner
Work and Equal Opportunities
47030 San Mauro Pascoli
Project Department
Department of International Programmes
1074 Budapest
Wydział ds. Przedsiębiorczości i Innowacji/ Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Roadmap
Challenge: Addressing Barriers in Inclusive Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurial opportunities are not equally accessible to everyone. Women, migrants, youth, seniors and people with disabilities face structural barriers in starting and supporting businesses. Limited access to financial resources, business networks, and training leads to an estimated 9 million missing entrepreneurs in Europe. The challenge is to create an ecosystem that supports under-represented groups in overcoming these obstacles.
Idea: A Transnational Approach to Foster Inclusive Entrepreneurship
To address this issue, TASK4ISI brings together 11 partners and six associated partners from Central Europe to create a collaborative framework to promote social innovation and inclusive entrepreneurship. The key idea is to connect local efforts into a transnational network, ensuring knowledge exchange, policy alignment, and sustainable support for marginalised entrepreneurs.
Solution: ISIHUBs & Transnational Networking
TASK4ISI establishes Inclusive and Sustainable Innovation Hubs (ISIHUBs) in five regions: Krakow (PL), Erfurt (DE), Budapest (HU), Split (HR), and Emilia-Romagna (IT). These hubs act as support centres that provide: (1) Business training and skills development, (2) Mentorship and coaching programs, (3) Business matchmaking and networking opportunities, (4) Collaboration with policymakers to embed inclusive entrepreneurship into regional policies.
How It Works: From Local Initiatives to Systemic Change
Local ISIHUBs provide customised support to under-represented entrepreneurs. The Transnational Network (TNISIHUB) connects local hubs to share best practices and strengthen cooperation across regions. Policy development ensures that the insights from the project translate into long-term strategies for inclusive growth. Capacity building programmes equip both entrepreneurs and business support organisations with the necessary skills and tools. Pilot programmes and toolkits validate the most effective interventions for sustainable, inclusive entrepreneurship.
Proof: Impact & Long-Term Vision
TASK4ISI is creating a lasting impact by bridging the gap in entrepreneurship opportunities, fostering social innovation, and shaping policies for an inclusive economic future. Results: - 200+ under-represented entrepreneurs supported through training, mentoring, and networking. - 5 ISIHUBs established as sustainable centres for inclusive entrepreneurship. 108 stakeholders engaged in a transnational network to promote social innovation. - Policy recommendations & Local Action Plans developed to embed inclusive entrepreneurship in Smart Specialisation Strategies (S4+). - Scalable solutions that can be adopted by other regions beyond the scope of the project.
News
Events
Pilot actions
Outputs
Joint Networking Strategy
TASK4ISI Joint Strategy Agenda
TASK4ISI Local Action Plan Packages
TASK4ISI Toolkits for Inclusive Entrepreneurship
Small-Scale Pilots
Project documents
Project images
TASK4ISI
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