“HOW CAN ENTREPRENEURS ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INCLUSIVE SOCIETY? CAN THEY EXPLOIT THE POTENTIAL OF THE MOST VULNERABLE AND MINE ALL TALENT TO CREATE ADDED VALUE, BOTH SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY?”

what?

A School of Will is an ESF project that was started by Blenders, I-Diverso, and Wetopia with the aim of developing a learning program for Flemish entrepreneurs who want to be trained as a catalyst for an inclusive society. For this we let ourselves be inspired by entrepreneurs from Antwerp, Marseille and Rotterdam. These three port cities have many similarities but are also very different, which means that the chance of finding interesting convergences around inclusive entrepreneurship is very high.

Duration: 01/09/2020 to 31/12/2022

how?

In a first phase (spring 2021) we select 5 leading social entrepreneurs in each city region. We ask for 1 to 2 hours of their time for an in-depth interview. In a later phase (autumn 2021) we also ask for their cooperation in a number of online workshops and we offer the opportunity to visit each other during an Urban Field Trip. We compile a learning program with the data from this development group. After an open call to Antwerp entrepreneurs (early 2022), we will then guide a first group (cohort 0) of 15 entrepreneurs in A School of Will. The result is a blueprint and scenario about entrepreneurship as a catalyst for an inclusive society and recommendations for the Flemish government.

why?

A School of Will is an ideal opportunity to put the spotlight on the work of a number of inspiring entrepreneurs for an inclusive society. It offers entrepreneurs from Marseille, Antwerp and Rotterdam the opportunity to look across the border and get to know each other’s models. What can they learn from each other and from each other? How do they reach their target groups even better with other initiatives? Which elements in their business plans can serve as an example for other entrepreneurs? How do they deal with a retreating government? Which revenue models had they not yet thought of?

 

We are convinced that this transnational cooperation offers many opportunities to make the various initiatives of the selected entrepreneurs more widely known and also offers opportunities to learn from and inspire each other as entrepreneurs for an inclusive society.

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