One Page Summary

A learning platform based on thematic progressive module-quizzes, integrated with blended workshops and a business lab, in order to inspire and lead the so-called frail target group toward entrepreneurship - raising awareness (that it is one of the ways to ensure the integration and the economic independence) and empowering competences while reducing early-school leaving and increasing bottom-up participation.
A brief explanation of our solution divided in four phases (Work Packages):

Work Package 1 (non-facilitated)
Engage and educate to identify aspiring entrepreneurs (online only)
Goal: identify and select those who have the interest and the potential to become entrepreneurs.
Through the analysis of their performance and behavior in the platform (commitment, background, track record, investment, proficiency, perseverance & dedication), a check up of qualifications and competences [through Discover Level] will be mapped, with a focus on informal skills and previous experiences (professional, or other) that Trainees [i.e. target group] may have had in their life.
Work Package 2 (non-facilitated)
Entrepreneurial education as solution (online only)
Goal: develop Trainees’ business and complementary skills necessary to foster entrepreneurship.
Intensive online workshops and virtual competitions based on 2 main topics: Social Challenges (SDG’s) and Entrepreneurship. By challenging Trainees to solve social problems in their community, Mygrants unleashes their entrepreneurial mindset. Trainees will learn how to recognize and analyze problems affect their communities in order to transform them into ideas and opportunities.
Entrepreneurship module-quizzes address the following topics, among others:
Spotting opportunities (develop ideas to create value, including better solution to existing products/services);
Manage resources (get and manage the material, non-material and digital resources needed; make the most of limited resources; manage competences needed at any stage, including technical, legal, tax and digital competences;).
Business planning and management; Market research; Finance and Legality; How to access funding; How to hire employees properly. Trainees will learn how to run their own company, they discover first-hand how a company functions and gain an insight into how their talents could be used to set up a business.

Work Package 3 (facilitated)
Teams Support & Innovation FastForward Workshops (blended; in person and online)
Goal: activate collaboration and teamwork online and offline, the ability to reach together a common goal, interpersonal communication, negotiation, planning and monitoring the results of their work.
For 120 Trainees there will be the opportunity to develop their skills through two activities: Teams Support (Innovation programs, hackathons and training courses on border-issues) powered by Tree and Innovation FastForward Workshops - powered by What a Venture (WaV) - an online tool that fosters the analytical process of a business idea in 6 steps.
By bringing business experts in a co-working space to share their experience, Trainees build an overview of what it means to generate a business, and start to consider entrepreneurship as a career opportunity. The programme (Teams Support) consists in 5 core services through weekly meetings, workshops, and events, as well as individualized 1:1 support. Teams Support activities will cover the following main topics:
Team Building: setting up the teams and work on team building
Communities analysis and problems identification: Teams work to identify a problem in the community they live in and chose a theme to start developing their ideas
From a problem to a solution: Ideation phase (brainstorming, gathering ideas and choose the best one)

Work Package 4 (facilitated)
Business Lab (blended)
Goal: help them understand the opportunities and methods of doing business, starting from direct experiences within their local environment.
Business Lab activities will cover the following main themes:
Teams chose their value proposition and develop ideas through a definition of the objectives, stakeholders and possible clients’ analysis, competitors’ analysis
Idea validation process through possible clients’ questionnaires and interviews
Social business model canvas and idea presentations
Prototype the ideas (products or services) through practical activities and design the customer journey map
Prepare (for) the pitch presentation

Support top potential founders in starting up their businesses to become social innovators through a roll out of upshift combining social innovation workshops, with offline (in Lab) and online (What A Venture) mentorship, materials and seed funding, equipping frail target people with the skills and resources they need to identify problems and challenges in their communities and create entrepreneurial solutions to address them.