On October 15th and 16th, the Microfinanza Europe team took part in the 33rd Network Meeting of the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs (EYE) program, held in Brussels. The event, organized by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) and the European Commission, provided an opportunity to analyze the impact of the SMP COSME EYE program in strengthening SMEs across Europe.

Jakub Boratynski, Director of Networks and Governance at DG GROW, European Commission, highlighted that the EYE program has contributed to the development of over 12,000 businesses in 36 countries, with the creation of 0.6 jobs for every supported entrepreneur, achieving 90% positive economic impact. Moreover, there has been a substantial increase in women’s participation in entrepreneurship across Europe.

SMEs play a key role in driving the transition towards digital and sustainable economies, and their empowerment is crucial to ensuring inclusive growth. In this context, Microfinanza has made a significant contribution to the implementation of the 13th and 14th cycles of the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs program and “EYE to the Future for Ukraine” programme.

Microfinanza actively participated in the panel as an experienced intermediary organization, represented by Matteo Solivo, European Projects Coordinator. During the workshop, program partners introduced a network initiative aimed at improving support for SMEs, focusing on specific and strategic economic sectors for the future.

Through the promotion of synergies, the sharing of successful entrepreneurial stories, and the creation of a targeted action plan, the partners are working to identify new sectors of interest for European entrepreneurs. Alongside Microfinanza, the panel included Matera Hub, Cambra Terrassa, and Union Camere Veneto.

Matteo Solivo emphasized the importance of a sector-specific approach: “This is an opportunity to observe best practices from other contexts and countries, identify potential entrepreneurs to involve in the program, and create new opportunities for business matching and exchanges.”