WIN4SMES Series

In this episode of The Grant I zoom in on two especially strong pilot stories from the WIN4SMES project. The project is focused securing work force for innovative SMEs through opening up new work force segments.

The first half of the episode follows the Hungarian pilot, where Tamas from the Hungarian Association of Craftsmen’s Corporations explains a one-week entrepreneurship camp built for some of Hungary’s most talented young innovators. The participants came from the Hungarian Science and Innovation Olympics and were selected for the business potential of their ideas. Across the camp, they worked with business planning, finance, marketing, innovation management and leadership, while also visiting companies and testing their ideas through teamwork and a virtual company model. It is a great example of how entrepreneurial talent can be supported before it becomes a real business.

The second half of the episode moves to Lithuania, where Egle from the Lithuanian Association of Hotels and Restaurants explains how their pilot is helping young people with disabilities enter the hospitality sector. The model is built around a triangle of collaboration between a vocational school, a university and the business association, with employers actively brought into the process. Companies are invited into the schools, supported with training and information, and helped to understand both inclusion and the practical incentives for hiring. The result is not only better labour-market access for young people with disabilities, but also a shift in employer attitudes and a growing recognition that these young professionals can become loyal, stable and highly valuable members of the workforce.

Time codes:

00:18 Introduction to the episode

19:13 The Hungary COVE - Supporting Entrepreneurship w/Tamás Rettich

28:20 The Lithuanian COVE - Young People with Disabilities w/Egle Lizaityte