ERUA Social Entrepreneurship Lab
The ERUA Social Entrepreneurship Lab, conducted entirely in English and launched as part of the ERUA – European Reform University Alliance, represents a significant opportunity for students and teams interested in developing social impact entrepreneurial projects within an international, interdisciplinary and innovation-oriented context.
The initiative forms part of Work Package 6 of the ERUA2 project, entitled ‘Developing ERUA’s social entrepreneurship’, which aims to strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit in the social sciences, fostering the transformation of ideas and initiatives into concrete solutions capable of addressing the major challenges of our time. Prospective participants are invited to propose business ideas or initiatives with a social impact, forming teams that may be either national or international, thereby encouraging the exchange of different skills and perspectives.
The programme unfolded in several phases. An initial training phase involved the delivery of the “Social Entrepreneurship Course” during the 2025/2026 academic year, aimed at providing the theoretical and methodological foundations of social entrepreneurship. This was followed by a co-design workshop phase, during which the ERUA universities formed national and international working groups. The various teams then worked actively on developing their ideas, supported by sector experts through seminars, workshops and mentoring activities. This phase enabled them to structure the project, define its impact model and strengthen its sustainability.
The programme will culminate in the final Pitch Day, a competitive event to be held on 16 April 2026, during which the teams will present their proposals. The selected projects will have the opportunity to take part in a subsequent intensive in-person development phase, organised in collaboration with the Alliance’s partners, which represents a further opportunity for growth, networking and consolidation of the initiative.
WP6 activities will continue with further workshops and seminars, designed to support young entrepreneurs in developing their initiatives and accessing funding, with a view to facilitating the successful launch of businesses and start-ups.
Overall, the Lab offers participants the chance to acquire advanced skills in social entrepreneurship, validate and develop their ideas, work in international teams and become part of a dynamic European ecosystem, significantly increasing the prospects for impact and the successful implementation of their projects.
Pitch Day – Final Competition: Public presentations of social business plans addressing societal challenges
Join the Social Entrepreneurship Lab’s Pitch Day, where international teams of students will present their innovative ideas for tackling social and environmental challenges.
Over the past few weeks, participants have been working collaboratively to develop high-impact solutions – from defining real-world problems to designing and testing their concepts.
During Pitch Day, each team will present their idea in a concise 5-minute pitch, focusing on the problem, solution and impact. A judging panel will assess the pitches based on innovation, impact, feasibility and overall coherence.
The event is open to students, staff and anyone interested in social entrepreneurship, innovation and impact-driven ideas.
Date and time: 16 April, 12:00 CET
Format: Online event link on Zoom
