It has been announced that emerging entrepreneurs from 25 European nations have just completed the first phase of the UCC-led EU-XCEL European Virtual Accelerator programme.
EU-XCEL is a two-year Horizon 2020 project and part of Start-Up Europe. It is co-ordinated by Cork University Business School with partners from five leading European organisations in Denmark, Greece, Spain, Germany and Poland, all with proven track records in successful incubation.
The project aims to provide a premium virtual and physical platform for young tech entrepreneurs to found and grow new ICT businesses across Europe simultaneously. Since its launch in January 2015, EU-XCEL has attracted considerable international attention, receiving upwards of 600 applications in its first year of operation alone.
Two hundred and fifty of Europe’s best tech entrepreneurs have successfully completed week-long mentored start-up scrums in Athens, with 50 international start-ups emerging from the six scrums.
They will now commence a 14-week virtual accelerator process to further develop their novel businesses, which focus on technology, engineering, industrial design, business development, finance and marketing.
EU-XCEL Project Director, Dr Brian O’Flaherty of Cork University Business School commented, "Under the umbrella of Start-up Europe, the goal is to develop a new European entrepreneurship culture.
"Through EU-XCEL, we aim to cultivate and nurture Europe’s young entrepreneurial talent in the ICT space. The internationalisation of entrepreneurship is central to the programme and the exchange element, initiated at the start-up scrum, enables cross-fertilisation and the pursuit of new ventures."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
