GRESODI

The 2-year GRESODI project, funded by the European Social Fund, is based on a partnership between social innovation/social entrepreneurship support organisation to experiment with a new methodology for the creation of new regional social business initiatives or by enriching already existing social innovation activities with green and/or digital elements in Austria, Hungary and Spain, that can be transferred to other local communities in other regions and countries. Social entrepreneurship projects are best suited to identify and understand local or regional problems that people themselves face, to find relevant solutions and increase impact in an entrepreneurial way within their own community.

The project addresses the needs of social entrepreneurs lacking adequate business models and/or missing out on digital opportunities and green innovations. The challenges are imposed by the fact that entrepreneurship skill development support is an urban phenomenon and that social enterprises are more likely to be established and operate in urban areas. Rural territories face demographic change, depopulation, ecological challenges and significantly fewer social entrepreneurs are to be found in rural areas. Even though women are more represented as founders and managers of social ventures than in classical start-ups, they are still generally underrepresented. Social entrepreneurs in rural areas need support to perform well or have difficulties in operating without the necessary skills and having access to funding. Digitalisation and digital skill development are critical challenges that social entrepreneurs face.

To achieve the main objectives and reach the outcomes, GRESODI project specifically aims to develop concepts that are tailor-made to the target groups (social entrepreneurs with special focus on female entrepreneurs, people living in rural areas and micro-entrepreneurs) based on specific analysis.

The GRESODI partnership sets as specific goal to raise awareness on social entrepreneurship and the importance of green and digital transition. It will support the development of the best social entrepreneurship projects with an incubation programme in their way to become more sustainable and digitally prepared, as well as ready for impact investment. 15 pilot projects promoting the ‘twin’ (green and digital) transition, improved knowledge and increased expertise of the target groups, greater awareness of social innovation and entrepreneurship, a transnational network of stakeholders and new social business models for green and digital transitions. The main outcome of the project will be to foster acceptance and behavioural
changes for more sustainable and digital business models.

Duration

1 November 2023 – 31 October 2025

Project partners

HÁRFA Foundation, Hungary (coordinator)

Social Business Club Styria, Austria

FACTO, Spain

Ex Ante, Hungary