The Technological Institute of the Canary Islands (ITC), attached to the Ministry of Universities of the Government of the Canary Islands, announces the launch of the European project Beyond EYE, an ambitious initiative that expands the current catalog of destinations of the mobility program for entrepreneurs Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs (EYE) to four countries outside the European Union: United Kingdom, Canada, United States and Singapore.
This initiative, financed by the European Commission with more than 1,160,000 euros, will allow new entrepreneurs to carry out stays in companies in these countries to strengthen their business skills and explore new markets.
The Beyond EYE initiative will operate in parallel and in a complementary way to the transnational activity offered by Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs within the European framework, already consolidated among new entrepreneurs who are looking for the possibility of learning from experienced entrepreneurs in countries adhering to the program.
Since 2009, the ITC has acted as an intermediary office, facilitating the participation of entrepreneurs and companies in this program, consolidating itself as one of the most active entities in its execution.
With Beyond EYE, the ITC takes a step further in the internationalization of the program, coordinating an international consortium that brings together six intermediary offices from Spain, Italy, Belgium, Portugal and Greece. This new stage extends the scope of the program to four new strategic destinations outside Europe, identified for their potential to open up business opportunities.
Beyond EYE aims to boost the training of entrepreneurs in dynamic and highly competitive environments, and places special emphasis on the creation of more sustainable, digital and resilient companies, generating business synergies between sending and receiving countries. The exchanges in these new destinations will have a duration of between 1 and 3 months, during which the participants will receive a monthly financial aid of between 1,050 and 1,200 euros, depending on the country of destination.
The host companies in these international markets belong to key sectors such as technology in the United States or renewable energies in Canada, and also offer the opportunity to build commercial bridges thanks to the strategic position of Singapore in Asia or the United Kingdom as an economic partner of the European Union. Through these experiences, with the help of professionals, entrepreneurs will be able to acquire specialized knowledge and establish contact networks that promote the growth and sustainability of their projects.
The ITC, in its role as coordinator, will ensure the effectiveness of the exchanges and will strengthen synergies with other European initiatives, such as the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), focused on the internationalization of Canary Islands SMEs and which links common actions with Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs.
The Technological Institute of the Canary Islands opens the call to receive applications from entrepreneurs interested in participating in the Beyond EYE program, multiplying the opportunities to develop and test a business model or pilot with the help of professionals in the new destinations.
Candidates can be entrepreneurs with a business in its first three years of life or people with a clear and viable business idea. Companies with consolidated activity are also encouraged to apply as hosts, to share their experience and benefit from emerging talent.
This initiative is part of the European Union programs managed by the Executive Agency for the European Innovation Council and SMEs (EISMEA) in the areas of support for SMEs and innovation ecosystems; Among its priorities is to strengthen the revitalization of the business fabric, offering opportunities for the expansion and consolidation of businesses globally, and promoting the impact of entrepreneurial projects.
All information about Beyond EYE and the process to participate can be found on the website: www.eyecanarias.com
