The transnational platform PUSH.GR creates awareness for start-ups and facilitates business cooperations.
The Interreg project PUSH.GR, coordinated by the University of Applied Sciences in Saarbrücken (htw saar), raises awareness about the potential of transnational cooperations, start-ups and business successions in the Greater Region. The multilingual Greater Region is a perfect place for young founders to gain initial experience when it comes to internationalization. Why? Because the five regions in the four EU countries Belgium, Germany, France and Luxembourg encompass an economic region that is home to some 11.5 million people.
This is where the information and communication platform ‘PUSH.GR’ comes into play as the heart of the Interreg project. The online platform bundles all relevant information on legal and tax aspects, funding opportunities, important events and also features a “Wall of Fame” with some 200 start-ups in the Greater Region. The majority of the content can be accessed in both German and French.
In addition to the offers from participating project partners, the cross-border event calendar is regularly updated with events from the Greater Region on all aspects of entrepreneurship. Once registered on the platform, visitors have access to the menu item “Angebote (Offers)” that contains a wide range of content. This is where project partners can present their institutions and offer concrete support to people interested in starting a business or to those who have already done so. It also facilitates networking by bringing people together. A start-up video course introduces key methods such as design thinking.
Eliminating hurdles makes it easier to establish a business in a neighboring country
Due to the fact that the legal and tax rules, as well as the relevant institutions differ from country to country, setting up or succeeding a business in a neighboring country involves a number of uncertainties. The PUSH.GR project has collected comprehensive studies and relevant information on this subject via the University of Trier and the University of Liège.
Users can search an extensive catalog of transnational funding opportunities based on desired funding amounts, scholarships, etc. For example, the service “Rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen der Unternehmensgründung (Legal framework conditions for setting up a company)” focuses on possible company forms in a comparison of countries. Interested parties can find an overview of public consulting offices, professional articles and video tutorials in the section “Steuerliche Rahmenbedingungen/Dispositions fiscales (Tax provisions)”.
Inspiration: Start-up wall of fame
The “Wall of Fame” now includes some 200 start-ups and scale-ups that can be regarded as shining examples in the Greater Region. Individual founder portraits are also available on the interactive map of the Greater Region. In short videos, these entrepreneurs talk about their experiences, their motivation and their path from an idea to a successful start-up in the Greater Region.
Networking by matchmaking
Since the beginning, the project has put special emphasis on networking players in the Greater Region on an international level, e.g. within the framework of the ConnectInGR event or the Business Dating Greater Region. It is worthwhile for both founders and experienced entrepreneurs to extend their horizons in order to establish promising new contacts for cooperations, investments, innovative business models and company successions. With the upcoming matchmaking tool, scheduled to be launched on the PUSH.GR platform in autumn, interested start-ups will be able to contact each other, as well as other companies and exchange ideas.
Background information: Funding and partners
The project is funded by the INTERREG V A Greater Region program with 2.2 million euros from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The total budget amounts to more than 3.7 million euros. The htw saar is responsible for the project under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Charis Förster, Vice President of Research, Knowledge and Technology Transfer.
The following companies and institutions are involved as operational partners in the project: Créaction International Belgium SPRL; EUROKEY Software GmbH; Grand E-nov; Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes; Hochschule Trier; INTERFACES – Gründerzentrum EURODEV CENTER; ISEETECH; Technische Universität Kaiserslautern, Technoport SA-Belval, Universität des Saarlandes, Universität Trier, Université de Liège – Campus Arlon.
They are supported by the following strategic partners: CFALOR – Deutsch-Französisches Zentrum Lothringen; Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie du Luxembourg belge; Chambre de commerce Luxembourg; Conservatoire des arts et métiers en Grand Est; FITT gGmbH; Hochschule Kaiserslautern; IHK Saarland; Lorraine Inside; Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Arbeit, Energie und Verkehr des Saarlandes; Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Innovation, Digitales und Energie; Semia; Sparkasse Saarbrücken; Universität der Großregion; Wirtschaftsjunioren Saarland e.V.
Contact PUSH.GR: Rahel Stoike-Sy, Project Coordinator, [email protected], Tel: 0681 58 67 175
