Competition for the European Enterprise Promotion Awards begins

The European Entrepreneurship Promotion Awards (EEPA) recognise the most successful promoters of entrepreneurship across Europe, highlight the best entrepreneurial practices, raise awareness of the importance of entrepreneurship and encourage Europeans to become entrepreneurs.

The national part of the competition will begin on 9 April and end on 31 May 2024. Two applications from the national competition will be selected for the European competition. The results of the European competition will be announced in November 2024.

Participation in the competition is open to national, regional or local authorities, public-private partnerships and SMEs (only in the category of ‘Responsible and inclusive entrepreneurship’) within the EU or countries associated with the European Commission’s Support to SMEs programme (SME pillar of the Single Market Programme), which have participated in a successful initiative boosting the economy on national, regional or local level.

The competition has six categories: Promoting the entrepreneurial spirit, Investing in entrepreneurial skills, Supporting the digital transition, Improving the business environment and supporting the internationalisation of business, Supporting the sustainable transition, and Responsible and inclusive entrepreneurship.

The Grand Jury’s Prize can be awarded to any category and will go to the entry considered to be the most creative and inspiring entrepreneurship initiative in Europe.

Finnish entries to the competition have been successful in recent years. Last year, the Startup Refugees entrepreneurship programme won the category of ‘Responsible and inclusive entrepreneurship’. In 2021, the Draft Program of Karelia University of Applied Sciences in Joensuu received a special mention in the category of ‘Promoting the entrepreneurial spirit’. In 2020, Business Espoo became a finalist in the category of ‘Improving the business environment’, while Kasvu Open won the category of ‘Supporting the internationalisation of companies’ in 2018.

Inquiries:
Jaana Valkokallio, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 29 506 4932