Startup Europe Awards

BEST PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION FOR STARTUPS

WHY DO WE HOLD A BEST PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION FOR STARTUPS AWARDS?

EU Commission, European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions they all recently agreed that improving the ecosystem for start-ups and scale-ups in Europe will have a direct beneficial effect on jobs and growth in the EU.

Following this premise, the goal of StartUp Europe Awards (SEUA) is to identify local role models in each ecosystem of startups across Europe. These local entrepreneurs will become inspirational examples for the new generations that will have a positive impact on improving the entrepreneurship culture in Europe. All the same, the identified local successful entrepreneurs will be crucial for local authorities to define tailored programmes to invigorate their local ecosystems and enhance public – private collaboration. These models will be used by external investors to approach local ecosystems.

StartUp Europe Awards also contributes to Commission General Objective 1 to ensure that the new boost for jobs, growth and investment is not concentrated in a few areas in Europe. As it is a fact that startups are the main creators of new jobs in Europe, we need to ensure that the wealth generated by the startups is spread all across Europe benefiting a wider segment of the European society.

To grow and consolidate, startups need an ecosystem of key-players that support these objectives. Along with universities, incubators, accelerators and investors, public administrations have a crucial role: from policies adapted to the new challenges startups tackle to the creation of programs or services for supporting their developing.

A large number of entrepreneurship awards go to startups, entrepreneurs or entreprises. However, despite their important role, public administrations supporting and boosting entrepreneurial activity in their territories do not have a specific recognition for their determination, effort and commitment with potential enterprises which will create wealth and employment. From this fact, Best Public Administration Awards comes to life.

AIM:

Best Public Administration Award recognises the effort and support of Public Administration at a city, province or region level for the boosting of entrepreneurial activity and innovation in their territory. It aimed to award the Public Administration with the best programme/service addressed to boost entrepreneurs or startups of their geographical area of influence.

CRITERIA:

The following criteria are essential and discriminatory to be a participant for the aforementioned contest:

  • To have a supporting programme/service addressed to promote entrepreneurship (startups/entrepreneurs) in the geographical area of influence.
  • The only programmes that are considered valid to contest are those that are already implemented (plans are not valid).
  • For 2016 edition, candidates to Best Public Administration Award will be nominated by the organization of StartUp Europe Awards. The nominees will be the winners of prestigious European Awards addressed to Public Administration as European Entrepreneurial Region, EIPA/EPSA, Regio Stars Awards, among others. The list of nominees will be published on StartUp Europe Awards website.

 

The criteria for the evaluation of the candidates are the following:

  • Goals aligned with Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan and the StartUp Europe Awards mission (highlight local success models to serve as example for other entrepreneurs and next generations; contribute to Commission General Objective 1 to ensure that the new boost for jobs, growth and investment is not concentrated in a few areas in Europe, etc).
  • Impact of the programme/service addressed to boost entrepreneurial activity (startups/entrepreneurs) in the geographical area of influence, based on facts and figures publicly exposed.
  • Commitment to continue supporting startups/entrepreneurs (follow-up, demonstration of how the actions will be sustained beyond the program/service for a longer period, complementary programs/services in 2017, etc.)
  • Social Clauses: job generated, collaboration with NGOs, trainees program.
  • European Dimension: collaboration with StartUp Europe Awards 2016, participation in European funded projects, partnership or agreements with other European partners. Optimal use of European Structural and Investment Funds or other European funding.