GRESODI

The 2-year GRESODI project, co-financed by the European Social Fund, is based on a partnership between organizations supporting social innovation and social entrepreneurship, in order to elaborate a new methodology for the creation of new regional social business initiatives or by enriching already existing social entrepreneurship initiatives to experiment innovation activities with green and/or digital elements in Austria, Hungary and Spain, which can be transferred to other local communities in other regions and countries. Social entrepreneurial projects are best suited to identifying and understanding local or regional problems that people themselves face, finding relevant solutions and increasing 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.

In order to reach the main objectives and achieve the outcome, the GRESODI project aims in particular to develop concepts tailored to the target groups (social entrepreneurs with a particular focus on women entrepreneurs, people in rural areas and micro-entrepreneurs) based on specific needs.

The GRESODI partnership aims to raise awareness of social entrepreneurship and the importance of green and digital transformation. It will support the development of the best social entrepreneurship projects with an incubation program to make them more sustainable, digital and ready for impact investments. 15 pilot projects to promote the twin transition (green and digital), improved knowledge and expertise of target groups, greater awareness of social innovation and entrepreneurship, a transnational network of stakeholders and new social business models for the green and digital transition. The main outcome of the project will be to promote adoption and behavior change 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

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