Download the ideas for mainstreaming here.

Apart from the good practice descrition, the catalogue also contains a judgement on the transferability of the practices.

The practices are now available here:  Mini Europe good practice catalogue update May 2011

women entrepreneurship in Lidingö, Sweden. There were interesting presentations

on how to promote and develop women entrepreneurship. More information

you can find on www.lidingo.se/ecos.

Stimulating innovative high potential companies by funding them through informal investors. This project brings risk capital and innovative high risk business potentials together.

The project arranges for three to four meetings a year, where promising business start ups can pitch their plans for a group of informal investors. The regional development agency is arranging the meeting room, invitations and so on.

The pitching entrepreneurs have to have a good business plan. They have to accept shareholders, they have to bring in own capital as well. They need to have an exit strategy for the shareholders and the needed capital should be somewhere between € 50.000,– and € 500.000,.

The conditions for the informal investors are: a return on investment. Rule is that for every 10 investments 5 will have problems in paying back the shareholder, three can pay back, and two will be cash cows for the informal investors. “It has to be fun!” Informal investors mostly are looking for technological, innovative businesses. Business plans have to be realistic. Next to the demand for financial capital, they want to be used for their knowledge and experience.

Starterspunt Flevoland is a joint initiative of the provincial authority, the six local authority areas (‘municipalities’) within the province and the Flevoland Chamber of Commerce. The provincial authority is responsible for project management.

The project comprises two sub-projects:

1.      the identification of a number of relevant preconditions for (starter) businesses, including accommodation, financing (particularly in the form of ‘microcredit’ and the necessary infrastructure. This part of the project was conducted by the Chamber of Commerce.

2.      the provision of help and guidance to a number of starter enterprises and more established companies (set up within the last five years). This part of the project was outsourced to the B&A Group following an open tender.

The second sub-project sought to provide advice and assistance to 65 ‘promising’ starter enterprises and 55 ‘re-starters’ or established entrepreneurs with a target breakdown of 60 men, 60 women, 15 members of ethnic minority groups, five disabled persons and five seniors (aged 50+)

13.30 – 13.35     Welcome by Ian Hill (moderator).

13.35 – 13.45     Official welcome by Chairman of the Monitoring Board and Deputy Queens Commissioner of the province of Flevoland Andries Greiner.

13.45 – 14.00    Presenting the Mini Europe team: Overview and Goals by Bob Pels, Karin Maatje, David Moore, Joan Algra and Eduard Lenoir.

14.00 – 14.35     Presenting the partners (part 1).

14.35 – 14.55     Coffee break

15.00 – 15.20.    Video conference: Mr. Andries Greiner will interview a member of European Commission.

15.20 – 15.55     Presenting the partners (part 2).

15.55- 16.35      Stakeholders discussion – Matching available instruments and missing instruments.

16.35 – 16.55     Signing of the partner agreements by MB members and press conference.

16.55 – 17.00     Closing remarks by chairman and end of stakeholders conference.

For more information:

Karin Maatje

Project Manager Interreg

Phone :+31 (0) 320 265 745

e-mail : karin.maatje@flevoland.nl