Start’Ship: Empowering Students with Entrepreneurial Skills
WestBIC is an Enterprise Ireland partner providing hands-on startup support, funding readiness and investment preparation for early-stage founders in the west of Ireland.
The Start’Ship project is an Erasmus+ project and collaborative initiative aimed at promoting, developing, and strengthening the entrepreneurial skills of higher education students through practical activities and an engaging interactive training programme.
The third, and final partner meeting of 2024, was held earlier this month in the vibrant city of Naples, Italy. Hosted by the Department of Economics, Management, and Institutions (DEMI) at the University of Naples Federico II, the meeting brought together representatives from each of the project’s consortium partners.
The Start’Ship consortium includes WestBIC (Ireland), Eurasanté (France), Universidade de Coimbra (Portugal), AP Hogeschool Antwerpen (Belgium), Commercialization Reactor (Latvia), and the University of Naples Federico II (Italy). This diverse and dynamic group reflects the project’s commitment to fostering cross-cultural collaboration and sharing best practices in entrepreneurship education across Europe.
Over the course of the two-day meeting, partners reflected on the progress made to date and set the stage for key upcoming milestones, including the much-anticipated pitching competitions in 2025. The agenda was packed with brainstorming sessions, interactive workshops, and hackathons designed to refine project outputs and enhance student engagement.
Discussions also focused on strategies to maximize the project’s impact and ensure smooth project management. These sessions allowed partners to exchange ideas, address challenges, and solidify the roadmap for 2025, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in achieving the project’s ambitious goals.
As a leader in the impact and dissemination work package, WestBIC played a central role in the meeting. Eunan Cunningham and Colleen Baxter from the WestBIC team delivered an insightful presentation highlighting the project’s communication and outreach efforts.
Their updates included:
- A review of the Start’Ship website and social media channels, emphasizing how these platforms are driving engagement and raising awareness.
- Progress on dissemination strategies, ensuring that the project reaches its intended audience of students, educators, and stakeholders.
- A preview of the reporting and evaluation activities scheduled for 2025, which will document the project’s successes and provide valuable insights for future initiatives.
Partners had the chance to explore the rich cultural and historical heritage of Naples. Guided tours revealed the city’s fascinating history, from its Greek origins to its vibrant role as a hub of Italian culture.
The group also enjoyed the renowned local cuisine, sampling iconic dishes like authentic Neapolitan pizza and freshly made pasta. These moments of connection over food and shared experiences strengthened the bonds among partners and celebrated the spirit of European collaboration that underpins the Start’Ship project.
With 2024 coming to a close, the Start’Ship consortium is gearing up for an exciting year ahead. The upcoming pitching competitions promise to showcase the entrepreneurial talent nurtured through the project, while finalizing outputs and evaluations will demonstrate the tangible impact of this collaborative effort.
For more information on Start’Ship visit startship-project.eu or email cbaxter@westbic.ie