www.project-next.eu

REPORT from

Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC)

and

Milan Investment booster, NEXT project

Jovana Drobnjak

Enes Banda

www.project-next.eu

General comments

Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) was held from 15th to 19th March in Milan, Italy, in organization of the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN).

This year, it contains from two parts:

1. Fair of projects and organizations and

2. Innovation talks, conferences and workshops.

According to organizations, this year GEC was attended more than 150 delegates for all world as well as 2000 visitors.

Representatives of UDG FSIT, Jovana Drobnjak and Enes Banda as well as representatives of the company Bild studio, Tarik Zaimović and Adriana Cavor, at the invitation of lead partner, Reghie Marche from Italy, within the project NEXT, participated in the congress.

The project NEXT had his own exhibition space at the fair in the Congress, all three days, as well as a workshop and Adriatic First Forum on the second day of the congress.

Bearing in mind that event was attended by all partners, bilateral meetings were held about how to proceed with the project.

We have opportunities to meet about 70 participants and make connection with them.

At the fair presented their projects in the field of startups, accelerators and incubators, but their offerings was referred to the assistance through mentorship, training and online courses rather than through direct involvement or through the project.

The annexes contain the agenda of the congress and photo report.

In addition to participation in the activities of the project, representatives of the UDG had the opportunity to participate in future workshops, forums and training courses:

www.project-next.eu

17.03. 2015.

FoodTech& Sustainability Startups

Investment forum introducing some of the hottest Italian startups in the Foodtech and sustainability spaces, which will be featured in IntesaSanpaolo’s acceleration program hosted at the upcoming EXPO 2015. Pitching startups will include:

Solwa – Developers of solar-powered greenhouses with a variety of applications, from seawater desalinization to the desiccation of food, waste and other materials

Agroils Technologies – Producers of superior quality biofuels, animal feed and molecules of pharmaceutical interest from no-food Jatropha energy crop.

Robonica – Creators of smart, easy-to-use and stylishly-designed hydroponics boxes allowing consumers to grow vegetables at home.

Orange Fiber – Project aimed at the creation of sustainable and vitaminic fabrics from discarded citrus peel, turning agricultural waste into valuable inputs for the textile and fashion industries.

SafecerealS – Novel procedure for the detoxification of grain flours, rendering them safe for consumption by individuals affected by celiac disease and gluten intolerance.

Tacita - Developers of high-performance all-electric enduro motorbikes, combining the Italian tradition for design and motorsports with cutting-edge electric propulsion.

Equilibrium - Operators of the green construction industry, using natural materials like hemp to provide energy efficiency and insulation solutions which improve living comfort and reducing the environmental footprint.

Start-up Schools and Entrepreneurial Universities: the Experience of the Italian Contamination Labs

Contamination Labs are University projects intended to promote entrepreneurial education in which students, with different curricula, team up to start new businesses. Given the nature of entrepreneurship as a continuous cycle of action, learning, testing, and experimenting, students involved in the Contamination Lab are pushed to use a multidisciplinary approach based on action and practice. In this session, we present and discuss some leading experiences of Contamination Labs carried out by five Italian Universities.

Knowledge Intensive Regions: how to foster innovation in regional ecosystems

This two-hour session will delve on how regional and national policies channel investments for boosting

entrepreneurship and leveraging talent and local assets. Speakers will touch base on the concept of

smart specialization and on how to create the critical mass of interventions needed to generate an

impact. Representatives of Italian regional and national governments will present how they designed

www.project-next.eu

the policy mix needed by a modern and attractive ecosystem. The discussion will elaborate on topics

related to challenges posed by the international dimension, the speed of transformation, the need to

involve private investors and availability of business (soft and hard) and social (housing, kindergartens,

incentives for young couples, etc.) infrastructure.

Ninja Academy

NinjaPower for Startups

Marketing hacks for launching a new business

How to use Social Media to launch your startup (and engage influencers)

How to launch a tech startup without leaving the stove on

Startup Wonderland: what your startup needs to thrive

From Growth Hacking to SEO: Inbound Marketing techniques for Startups

Panel: the challenge of building public private partnerships and engaging the international dimension.

Panelist form the previous session will briefly introduce how their regions and the Italian government will implement demand side policies to support talents and entrepreneurs in turning innovation into market applications and interact with the audience.

Entrepreneurship Strategies for Youth Unemployment: Inclusive and sustainable solutions

Globally, youth (aged 15-24 years) represent 17 percent of the world’s population and over 40 percent of its unemployed, leaving millions economically and socially excluded. The public sector is in no position to respond to the job market needs, while it’s demonstrated that 9 out of 10 jobs are created by the private sector, mostly by SMEs. It is therefore imperative to increase investments in entrepreneurship development.

Moderated by Ms. Monica Carcó, Chief of the Investment and Technology Unit in UNIDO, this panel will review critical factors that can enable the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The panelists will be focusing their intervention on the following topics:

New evidences on the effectiveness of entrepreneurship training and access to Finance. Mr. Marcus Pilgrim, Head of Unit, Small and Medium Enterprises, Enterprises Department, International Labor Organization (ILO)

Policy Guide on Youth Entrepreneurship – Ms. Fiorina Mugione, Chief, Entrepreneurship Section, UNCTAD.

Building entrepreneurship ecosystems and manage risk. Afdb experience in Tunisia and Cote d’Ivoire – Emanuele Santi, Senior Economist, African Development Bank.

www.project-next.eu

Ecosystems that support high growth entrepreneurial firms must comprise efficiently operating stakeholders in 6 broad pillars - Jeremy Liddle, G20 Youth Entrepreneurship Alliance.

The role of the government for supporting entrepreneurship and creating a short term safety net as the "Employer of Last Resort" for the long term unemployed – Mr. Andreas Stefanidis, President, Federation of Hellenic Associations of Young Entrepreneurs.

Buenos Aires: City of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

With a rapidly expanding startup ecosystem and innovative policies to support the growth of its entrepreneurs, Buenos Aires was announced as the winner of the GEC Cities Challenge 2015. In this panel, it will be possible to know better the best practices and policies of this case and meet with its policymakers and referents of the entrepreneurship ecosystem.

18.03.2015. Innovation Workshop: Living Labs towards smart communities Welcome: Apulia Region NEXT project Living Labs may represent a valid instrument to support territorialdevelopment policies, assuming the configuration of tools for promoting user driven RDI in a given sector (such as e.g. eHealth, Domotics, or eInclusion), thus attracting investments and talents, or simply tourists into a region and leading to a permanent increase in growth and employment; or of territorial innovation models, for proactive behaviour of the public administration, grounding on a successful ‘mixture’ of technological, social and organizational RDI activities to valorise local intellectual capitaland increase knowledge for development. The Apulian Living Labs intervention has been one of the “bridge” actions put in place by the Regional Government that have allowed the building up of the RIS3 of Puglia. Scope of the workshop is to illustrate the experience adopted by three Apulian Living Labs and to work with project partners together with Living Labs representatives and Innovapuglia expert, adopting the Living Lab methodology to identify needs and opportunities to be taken. The NEXT technical assistance will give an outline of Marche RIS3 sectors and domain that can be investigated to foster the issues of discussion of the working group.

Adriatic Investment Forum

Adriatic Investment Forum was a debate about latest trends of entrepreneurial ecosystems within the

Adriatic-Ionian Macro-Region. During the event the contribution of regional stakeholders will be

www.project-next.eu

presented together with the point of view of entrepreneurs. The debate was developed around demand

and supply issues among issues connected to accessibility of services though NEXT-IS platform and their

relevance in the international arena.

NEXT Adriatic Investment Forum Agenda

14.00-16.00

Regional entrepreneurial ecosystems around the Adriatic-Ionian Macro-Region – NEXT-IS platform experiences at glance

Moderated by Mr. Dario Mazzella, Project Manager at META Group

Entrepreneurs invited by each Project Partner will be allowed to be on stage, telling their stories and their achievements (or even failures), showing what it means to be an entrepreneur in their territory.

At the forum Tarik Zaimović and Adriana Čavor, as guests of the Faculty of Information Systems and Technology and representatives of Montenegro, have presentation about their company Bild Studio. Mrs Čavor take flour and present at first, entrepreneurs climate in Montenegro, the benefits for business as well as their personal experience.

The forum featured presentations by 11 representatives from all Member States on the project, and after presentations expert jury gave an opinion how they can improve their business.

16.00-18.00

NEXT Talks

Moderated by Andrea Di Anselmo, Vice President META Group

Investors from Global Entrepreneurship Network project showcasing their efforts to boost entrepreneurship in the Adriatic-Ionian Macro-Region, exchanging best practices with NEXT stakeholders

19.03.2015.

GLOBAL ANGEL SUMMIT Thursday, March 19, 2015 | Milan, Italy

Venue: MICO Congress Centre – Piazzale Carlo Magno, 1 20149 Milano

Powered by: Global Business Angels Network, Business Angels Europe, Italian Angels for Growth and META Group

9.00 – 09.05 Welcome: Luigi Amati, CEO, META Group, Co-host of GEC 2015, BAE Vice-President

9.05 – 09.15 Introduction: Jonathan Ortmans, President, Global Entrepreneurship Network, Senior

www.project-next.eu

Fellow Kauffman Foundation

9.15 – 10.00 Launch of the Global Business Angels Network (GBAN)

10.00 – 11.45 GEC Talks

Inspirational talks by successful entrepreneurs and business angels from around the world (9 min each). Moderated by: Robert Grey, META

Speakers:

Peter Cowley, UK Angel of the Year 2014-15, Cambridge Angels

Marco Villa, Managing Director, Italian Angels for Growth

Jamal Labed, Digital Entrepreneur, Co-founder EasyVista

Johan Gorecki, Founder and Partner Springfellow. “An entrepreneurial story based on digital disruption and generation shifts"

Ahmet Faruk, Turkish Airlines

Rebeca Eun Young Hwang, Managing Partner, Rivet Ventures. “From Founding To Funding: the journey of an entrepreneur turned investor”

11.45 – 13.00 Get in the Ring Demo with the support of ITA (Italian Trade Agency)

13.00 – 14.00 Lunch ANGEL SUMMIT WILL CONTINUE IN ROOM BROWN 1

14.00 – 15.50 Global Trends and Key Issues in Angel Investing

14.00 Introduction - Philippe Gluntz, President Business Angels Europe

14.10: Keynote speaker: “Taking the Pulse of the European Business Angel Market”: Dr. Ute Günther, BAE Board Member, CEO Business Angels Netzwerk Deutschland e.V. (BAND). “

14.20 Panel discussion I: Global Trends and Key Issues in Angel Investing

Moderator: Claire Munck, CEO, BE Angels and BAE Board Member

Panel members:

Marianne Hudson, Executive Director, Angel Capital Association (ACA)

David Chen, Co-founder at AngelVest

Brigitte Baumann, Founder & CEO Go Beyond Investing

Ben White, Founder of VC4Africa

Jacek Blonski, Managing Partner Zernike Meta Ventures Ingenium Poland, Board Member Business

Angel Europe

15.05: Panel Discussion II: Single EU Market for Startups. Co-investing with Other Investors

www.project-next.eu

Moderator: Luigi Amati, Vice President, BAE

Panel members:

Tatyana Pnova, Policy Officer, DG FISMA, European Commission

Candace Johnson, President, EBAN

Oliver Gadja, Co-funder & Executive Board Chairman, European Crowdfunding Network (ECN)

Javier Echarri, Non executive Director LDS Partners, Managing Partner GED Capital

Philippe Vanrie, CEO, European Business Network (EBN)

Dani Larson, Global Partnerships, Global Accelerator Network

16.00 – 16.10 Coffee break

16.10 – 18.00 Benchmark of Federations IBAN-BAE

Welcome address: Philippe Gluntz, BAE President & President France Angels, and René Reijtenbagh, BAN Oost Nederland

IBAN Association after 15 years: Paolo Anselmo, IBAN President

IBAN Survey - Methodology and results: Vincenzo Capizzi, IBAN Executive Board Member & Full Professor of Banking and Finance, University of Eastern Piedmont Amedeo Avogadro, SDA Bocconi School of Management

IBAN White Paper “Legislative proposal for start-up development”: Luca Scarani, chartered accountant, and Emanuela Sabbatino, lawyer, - CBA Studio Legale e Tributario

Regional Networks in Italy: Michele Gubert, Coordinator of Business Angels Network Trentino, and Marco Bendinelli, Sant'Anna Milky Business Angels.

Key Legislation and Framework Conditions that stimulate Angel Investing: Alicia M. Robb, Ph.D, Senior Fellow, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Impact of Euroquity on syndicated and cross-border investments: Gilles Lecoquen, Head of International Partnerships and Services, Bpifrance.

GEC Ideaspace

The Ideaspace is a dedicated place for startups, organizations supporting entrepreneurship, and delegations from emerging entrepreneurial cities to showcase their work. This GEC marketplace gives participants of the Congress the opportunity to network, share, and expand their knowledge about startup ecosystems around the world.

www.project-next.eu

ANNEX 1: Agenda of Milan Global Entrepreneurship Congress

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Venue

9:00 am to 5:00 pm EXPO 2015 Italian Pavillion by Italia Camp Amber 5

9:00 am to 5:00 pm GEC Ideaspace Exhibition Hall

9:00 am to 6:00 pm Registration Auditorium

9:00 am to 9:45 am GEC Opening Ceremony Auditorium

9:45 am to 10:30 am GEC Start + Scale Opening Keynotes Auditorium

10:00 am to 1:00 pm Ninja Academy Day 1 Amber 1

10:00 am to 4:00 pm Teacherpreneur Amber 3

10:00 am to 11:00 am Supporting young entrepreneurs: partnering for shared value Brown 1

Monday, March 16, 2015

Venue

9:00 am to 6:00 pm Global Entrepreneurship Week Annual Meeting Aula Carlo De Carli

10:00 am to 4:30 pm Global Entrepreneurship Research Network - Annual Meeting Aula Carlo De Carli

6:00 pm to 8:30 pm Reception Private

www.project-next.eu

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Venue

10:00 am to 1:00 pm Towards EXPO 2015: FoodTech& Sustainability Startups Brown 1

10:00 am to 11:00 am Be an Innovator with the DECA Idea Challenge 2015 Brown 3

10:30 am to 12:00 pm Meet the LIONS Private

10:30 am to 11:00 am Start + Scale Talks - Part I Auditorium

10:30 am to 12:30 pm Stand up startup scale up! The way to create the next startup ecosystem Amber 4

11:00 am to 1:00 pm Start-up Schools and Entrepreneurial Universities: the Experience of the Italian Contamination Labs

Amber 7

11:00 am to 1:00 pm Entrepreneurship, Innovation and start-ups in Italy Amber 2

11:00 am to 1:00 pm Workshop: Introduction to the project “FiliereIntelligenti Amber 1

11:00 am to 1:00 pm European Startup Ecosystems and National Associations: Benchmark, Models and Perspectives

Brown 3

11:00 am to 11:30 am Coffee Break Auditorium

11:30 am to 12:30 pm Start + Scale Talks - Part II Auditorium

12:00 pm to 1:30 pm Knowledge Intensive Regions: how to foster innovation in regional ecosystems

Amber 5

1:00 pm to 2:00 pm FastTrac Presentation Amber 4

1:00 pm to 2:00 pm The Italian Job 2015 Amber 6

www.project-next.eu

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Venue

1:00 pm to 2:30 pm Lunch Break Brown 2

2:00 pm to 3:00 pm Meet TIGERS@Mekong Suite 2

2:00 pm to 5:00 pm H-ACK SCHOOL @ GEC2015 Private

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Makers and Innovation in Italy Brown 3

2:00 pm to 6:00 pm SME Ministerial at the GEC Brown 1

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Sport + Innovation: The virtuous circle of Sport, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Amber 3

2:00 pm to 3:00 pm Business Process Re-Engineering: From Idea to Commercialization Amber 1

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Established firms and Startups: the corporate entrepreneur's role. Amber 4

2:00 pm to 3:30 pm Entrepreneurship Strategies for Youth Unemployment: Inclusive and sustainable solutions

Amber 6

2:00 pm to 3:00 pm New Dimensions in Entrepreneurial Education Auditorium

3:00 pm to 4:00 pm The Future of Agro Entrepreneurship Amber 1

3:00 pm to 4:00 pm Building Competitive and Entrepreneurial Cities Auditorium

3:30 pm to 4:30 pm Tech.eu’s fireside chats (focus on investors and serial entrepreneurs) Amber 6

4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Social Innovation and Technology Amber 5

4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Best Practices from PremioMarzotto Amber 7

www.project-next.eu

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Venue

4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Global Entrepreneurship Index Masterclass Amber 3

4:00 pm to 7:00 pm Global EMPRETEC Summit II Brown 2

4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Entrepreneurial Cities Forum: New urban ecosystems for 3.0 talent Brown 3

4:15 pm to 5:15 pm Beyond David & Goliath: The Role of Established Corporations in Startup Ecosystems

Auditorium

5:00 pm to 6:30 pm Buenos Aires: City of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Amber 6

5:00 pm to 6:30 pm Customer Development Masterclass with Bob Dorf Amber 2

5:15 pm to 6:15 pm Start + Scale Talks - Part III Auditorium

6:15 pm to 6:30 pm GEC Start + Scale Forum Closing Remarks Auditorium

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Venue

9:00 am to 11:00 am Wake Up Investors! Amber 6

9:00 am to 5:00 pm H-ACK SCHOOL @ GEC2015 Private

9:00 am to 10:00 am Mentoring young entrepreneurs: the Italian context and beyond Brown 2

9:00 am to 5:00 pm GEC Ideaspace Exhibition Hall

www.project-next.eu

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Venue

9:00 am to 11:00 am 1776: Startup Communities Changing the World Amber 3

9:00 am to 9:45 am NEXT GEN R+P Auditorium

9:45 am to 10:45 am Leading Entrepreneurial Cities Auditorium

10:00 am to 11:45 am Ninja Academy Day 2 Amber 1

10:00 am to 12:00 pm Supporting social Innovation: business models, players and experiences in the Italian ecosystem

Brown 3

10:00 am to 1:00 pm Digital Magics Angel Network Meeting Amber 2

10:00 am to 1:00 pm Public Policy’s Actions and Tools for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Amber 4

10:00 am to 11:00 am Empowering young entrepreneurs: lessons from the YBI network Brown 2

10:00 am to 1:00 pm BAE Club: Best practices shared among BAE club managers Amber 6

10:00 am to 1:00 pm ACE Summit 2015 Brown 1

11:00 am to 12:00 pm Tech.eu’s fireside chats (focus on emerging startups) Brown 2

11:00 am to 1:00 pm Youth Guarantee and enterprises: standard measures and innovative solutions from the makers’ world

Amber 6

11:00 am to 1:00 pm Startup ARENA Private

11:00 am to 12:00 pm Research + Policy Talks - Part 1 Auditorium

12:00 pm to 1:30 pm Equity and lending crowdfunding recent developments Amber 5

www.project-next.eu

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Venue

12:00 pm to 1:30 pm Foundations’ role in promoting entrepreneurship Brown 2

12:00 pm to 1:30 pm Biomedical startup event Brown 3

12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Fireside Chat: Data Innovations Auditorium

12:30 pm to 2:00 pm Lunch Break Auditorium

1:00 pm to 7:00 pm NOXI: Sharing the True "Made in Italy" Heritage to Generate Business Opportunities

Suite 1

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Ready to use Venture Capital Funds - META Innovation Lab Amber 2

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm European Startup Policies Amber 5

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Moving the Needle on High-Growth Women’s Entrepreneurship Brown 2

2:00 pm to 6:00 pm BAE Club: Pitches and networking Amber 6

2:00 pm to 6:00 pm Adriatic Investment Forum Amber 5

2:00 pm to 6:00 pm UnicreditStartLab Investor Day Brown 1

2:00 pm to 6:00 pm Battle of Ideas 2015 – La battagliadelleidee 2015 Auditorium

2:00 pm to 6:00 pm EO Accelerator Strategy Sessions I Amber 1

2:00 pm to 3:00 pm Entrepreneurship on the Frontier: Encouraging Innovation & Inclusion in Emerging Markets

Brown 3

3:00 pm to 4:00 pm Research + Policy Talks - Part 2 Brown 3

www.project-next.eu

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Venue

4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Accelerator Trends Amber 5

4:00 pm to 6:00 pm InnoVits startups competition: final event 2015 Amber 2

4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Building Cohesive Entrepreneurial Ecosystems for Africa Brown 2

4:00 pm to 4:30 pm GEC Research + Policy Closing Remarks Brown 3

4:00 pm to 4:30 pm Coffee Break Brown 3

Venue

9:00 am to 5:00 pm Global Angel Summit Brown 3

9:00 am to 5:00 pm GEC Ideaspace Exhibition Hall

10:00 am to 3:45 pm Ninja Academy Day 3 Amber 1

10:00 am to 12:00 pm Open Innovation: there’s no free lunch. A comparison between models and experiences

Amber 4

10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Creative industries and their impact on economic growth Amber 5

10:00 am to 1:00 pm Startup Nations Unconference Brown 2

10:00 am to 11:00 am

Pitching the Silicon Valley Way - ITA Italian Trade Agency Startups Amber 3

10:00 am to 1:00 pm

EO Accelerator Strategy Session II Amber 2

10:00 am to 1:00 pm Global Entrepreneurship Week Annual Meeting II Amber 1

Thursday, March 19, 2015

www.project-next.eu

11:00 am to 12:00 pm Pitching the Silicon Valley Way - Invitalia Startups Amber 3

12:00 pm to 1:30 pm

Scaling social entrepreneurship: connecting local ecosystems in transnational networks Amber 3

12:00 pm to 1:30 pm

Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Amber 4

1:00 pm to 2:00 pm Sardinian Hi-Tech Companies meet investors Amber 1

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm TWS Enterprising Brown 3

2:00 pm to 6:00 pm

National hackathon: creativity and innovation for a new economic growth

Private

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

How to effectively evaluate new business ideas, based on your innovation appetite Amber 3

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

5 Ingredients for Fostering a Thriving Startup Ecosystem Brown 1

2:30 pm to 5:30 pm

LVenture Investor Day – Milan Edition Amber 4

5:00 pm to 6:00 pm GEC Closing Ceremony Brown 3

www.project-next.eu

ANNEX 2: FOTO REPORT

www.project-next.eu

NEXT project Exhibition space

www.project-next.eu

First Adriatic forum: Bild studio presentation

www.project-next.eu

Stands, workshops, forums

www.project-next.eu