Business E-Incubator GO-UP

Who we are?

BUSINESS E-INCUBATOR GO-UP is established thanks to the joint collaboration of the Horizon Results Booster of the European Commission. We are seven partners under the umbrella of the joint civil company GO-UP:

• Trakia University (BG);
• Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University – ÇOMÜ (TR);
• ZIP centre for youth-business incubator LLC (RS);
• Association "Phasegrowth" (EE);
• FORTES Impresa Sociale srl (IT);
• Association "Youth for Peace" (BiH);
• Foundation "STARTUP MOLDOVA" (MD).

GO-UP Objectives

Accelerate smart growth in Europe-wide by facilitating: startup companies, cooperativism, social entrepreneurship, impact investment, youth agri-preneurship and venture-building across the whole agri-food value chain; creating smart, green jobs and intelligent employment opportunities for youth; and improving the regional framework of MSMEs development through the support and networking of local and regional partners in the public, private, civil-society and academic sectors.

Specific objectives

• SO 1: Capacity enhancement: training, consulting, mentoring and other services to SMEs/ start-up and entrepreneurs in accordance with clearly defined skills gaps.
• SO 2: Job/ employment creation: facilitating start-up and competitiveness of the SMEs (incl. among students/ researchers) and promote innovation in the agri-sector with highest potential employment creation and growth.
• SO3: Cross-sectorial linkage development: fostering and strengthening academic - business cooperation.
• SO4: Venture building in agri-food and bioeconomy by pooling together resources, creating facilities for growing businesses from scratch to unicorns, innovating in products, services and value chains that are climate neutral, smart and socially fair.

The outcomes are identified as follows:

• Outcome 1: Strengthened local capacities, including improved access and better utilization of knowledge, research and information;
• Outcome 2: Job creation and increased entrepreneurial level;
• Outcome 3: Strengthened relationships and networking, reduced barriers to entry, increased visibility;
• Outcome 4: Responsible impact investment, venture building and sustainable, smart growth in a Europe-wide network

Target audience

• incubator tenants, remotely and physically in the locations of Go-Up partners;
• self-employed (50:50 ratio F/M) and young entrepreneurs (50:50 ratio F/M);
• students (50:50 ratio F/M)/ academics (50:50 ratio F/M);
• unemployed young people (50:50 ratio F/M);
• Business angels and investors;
• Service-provider companies that operate in the ecosystem and support entrepreneurs with, among others, IT infrastructure, accounting, incorporation and patenting.
• Value-creators from the agrifood and bioeconomy sectors.

GO-UP activities

• Business incubation program and direct support of the business development of start-ups or innovative products / services;
• Targeted analysis and consulting;
• Mentoring;
• Support with incorporation of an entrepreneur’ enterprise by providing an address and registered office;
• Mediation in search of investors and negotiations with them;
• Development of new business models / adaptation strategies, suitable for the local and regional context;
• Trainings courses and matchmaking with suitable business partners;
• Knowledge transfer;
• Information and awareness-raising activities;
• Participation in cross-border cooperation and projects enabled by EU and international grants.