Guidance and self-assessment on various aspects of scaling up startups

• March 27, 2023

EU-wide initiative to boost startups’ scaling up process is underway with the launch of Horizon Europe project RAISE – Regions’ Alliances for Interconnected Startup Ecosystems. The five organisations involved in the project include Startup Europe Regions Network (SERN), European Business Angels Network (EBAN), European Association of Development Agencies (EURADA), Foundation FUNDECYT Scientific and Technological Park of Extremadura (FUNDECYT-PCTEX) and ICORSA.

The team, spearheaded by EBAN, is currently working on Deliverable 2.1: Design and testing of the pilot Actions. Each partner will create and carry out pilot actions for the following:

• Business model actions (SERN)
• Seed capital/Venture Capital actions (EBAN)
• Business Partnerships actions (EURADA)
• Talent matching (ICORSA)
• Women Entrepreneurship/Rural entrepreneurship (F-PCTEX)

The document (deliverable) aims to provide guidance and self-assessment on various aspects of scaling up, such as market analysis, product development, team management, funding sources and social impact, through a set of worksheets. The worksheets will be tested and piloted by project partners to maximise outreach and impact among start-ups and investors.

It also defines the coordination and monitoring activities to ensure the quality and effectiveness of the pilot actions. Regular meetings, feedback sessions, data collection, and evaluation methods will be implemented to evaluate the impact of the pilot actions.

The ultimate goal of RAISE is to improve the practices and performance of start-ups in scaling up their businesses, foster collaboration and innovation among start-ups, investors, and project partners, and contribute to building a unique agenda for an interconnected EU start-up space.

This initiative is expected to increase awareness and understanding of the SNS among start-ups and investors, and also to bring new opportunities for growth and innovation. The project will play a crucial role in shaping the future of the European start-up ecosystem and its competitiveness in the global market.