Page 130 - guidance-supporting-europe-s-aspiring-entrepreneurs-policy-and-practice-to-harness-future-potential

Guidance supporting Europe’s aspiring entrepreneurs
Policy and practice to harness future potential

4.5.4. Pre-start-up support
Pre-start-up support, especially with a goal of creating high growth companies
and helping to commercialise research, is important for HEIs. HEIs also need to
engage in providing more business support to students with more advanced
business ideas. Business incubators and HE entrepreneurship centres offer a
range of technical, practical and even financial support, alongside advice and
guidance from experts and business professionals. Incubators/enterprise centres
were found in most European countries.
Business advisors employed by careers services can offer vital support by
guiding students and graduates through the business planning process, helping
them to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their business idea, finding
sources of finance, and understanding the principles of intellectual property and
company formation. Few examples of HEIs were identified which provide this
support in a systematic manner: those HEIs which have a unified careers
service/enterprise support unit seem to demonstrate the most cohesive approach
(e.g. Newcastle University).
One-to-one mentoring programmes between HE students and experienced
entrepreneurs are still rare in Europe.

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