Page 143 - 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

Example 31. Business start-up portal

The Business start-up portal was developed by the Federal Ministry for Economics and Technology
(Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Technologie, BMWi) for those seeking information on
starting up a business.
The portal includes an expert forum, with a team of experts who are able to answer the
questions of new and aspiring entrepreneurs who use the site. This tool requires the user to send
their question to their chosen expert from the forum. The user must first select a theme from a list
displayed on the site. Once the theme is selected the user will see a list of experts and a selection
of questions that they have previously answered. The user can select the expert they feel is most
appropriate to their query and then input and send their question via e-mail. A response is then sent
by email within three working days.

Online tools to support the development of a business plan or idea are
mainly aimed at those entrepreneurs who are in the initial stages of setting up a
business and need extra help and guidance to expand their ideas. Such tools can
test the feasibility of a business idea. Examples of this type of tool are found in
Spain and Austria. For example, the Austrian website, ‘i2b & GO!’ (‘Ideas to
business’), was launched in 2000 by the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (see
Example 32).

Example 32. i2b & GO! Businessplan-Wettbewerb

The ‘i2b & GO! Businessplan-Wettbewerb’ website is aimed at individuals in the process of
developing a business plan. The overall goal of the site is to increase the success rate of new
businesses by providing detailed guidance in the early formation of a business plan.
In order to gain feedback on their business plan, individuals must register on the website and
upload their plan. Within five weeks of uploading their plan they receive, free of charge, two
separate sets of written feedback from independent experts. The network of experts is made up of
127 individuals from across Austria with expertise in start-ups, promotion and financing.
Entrepreneurs can also contact experts independently for help and advice.
There is also a handbook available to download from the website (Keine Angst vor dem
Businessplan, Ein Handbuch für Gründerinnen und Gründer). The handbook includes detailed
explanations of all the components of a business plan, common errors to avoid, recommended
literature and important websites.
The website provides a variety of other free services that can positively contribute to
developing a business plan. These services include a template for developing a plan, information
about local coaching evenings and tutorials on technical issues related to business start-ups, and a
list of other available business tools and contacts.
Users of the site can also take part in the i2b & GO! Business plan competition by entering
their final business plan.

Blogs, online forums and networks of new and aspiring entrepreneurs have
also been established as a form of peer-to-peer support. They enable new
business owners to communicate with their peers and provide each other with
valuable support and guidance. The rationale for these tools is that many new
and aspiring entrepreneurs will find they face the same problems and challenges.

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