European Innovation Council
The European Social Innovation Competition has released a free funding toolkit designed for early-stage social innovators and startups. This comprehensive resource guides users from project conception to securing funding, highlighting various financial avenues available. It includes actionable tools, inspirational case studies from across the EU, and insights from industry experts, making it a valuable asset for those developing their business models and seeking support for their initiatives.
2021
Finance your social innovation – New funding toolkit released
A new funding toolkit from the European Social Innovation Competition, run by the European Commission, with support from the European Innovation Council, has just been released to help early stage social innovators get their projects off the ground.
The free toolkit takes interested innovators through all steps, from laying the groundwork, how to access funding, early-stage finance tools and providers, specific EU funding opportunities and all the way through to next steps once funding is acquired. The toolkit is mapped around the trajectory of a rocket, from conception and design through to lift-off. It provides simple steps for social innovators and early-stage startups to follow, and breaks down the various avenues of funding available to them. This new funding toolkit is different to others as it focuses specifically on the early-stage social innovators and young start-ups, enabling those still formulating business models and plans to benefit from information and guidance. Within the toolkit users will find information and guidance, specific tools for users to put theory into practice, and inspirational case studies from across EU Member States. Expert contributions from respected individuals such as Frank Appeldoorn, Managing Partner at Arches Capital, Holger Westphely, Acting Head of CAF Venturesome and Jakob Detering, Managing Director of Social Impact Award, are also available throughout the toolkit.