Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs (EYE) allows year-round applications for eligible aspiring founders and entrepreneurs with under three years of experience. The program facilitates collaboration with seasoned entrepreneurs abroad, providing financial support for travel and living costs.
Application Deadline:
Year-round / Rolling Basis (No single fixed deadline; applications are accepted continuously throughout the year)
Tell Me About The Program:
The Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs (EYE) Programme is a European cross-border business exchange initiative funded by the European Union. It offers aspiring, new, or early-stage entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with an experienced host entrepreneur running a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) in another participating country. Designed to foster entrepreneurial skills, cross-border trade, and international networking, the exchange involves hands-on collaboration where the new entrepreneur gains practical insights on pricing, operations, customer acquisition, and business management while contributing new skills to the host enterprise.
Which Fields are Eligible?
Open to all business sectors and industries (including technology, retail, sustainability, creative arts, manufacturing, services, e-commerce, and agriculture).
Type:
Cross-Border Business Mobility / Entrepreneurial Exchange Grant
Who can Apply?
- Entrepreneurial Stage: Aspiring founders or new entrepreneurs with less than 3 years of total entrepreneurial experience (or those who have not yet launched a business).
- Residency Requirement: Must reside in an EU Member State or an eligible Single Market Programme (SMP) country (e.g., Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Iceland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine).
- Age Limit: No upper age limit (applicants must be at least 18 years old).
- Application Materials: Must submit a Curriculum Vitae (CV), a clear statement of motivation, and a viable, structured Business Plan.
- Language Proficiency: Working knowledge of the language agreed upon for the collaboration (typically B2 level or higher).
- Prior Participation: New entrepreneurs may participate in the EYE exchange only once.
How are Applicants Selected:
Applications are evaluated by the applicant’s chosen Local Contact Point (Intermediary Organization). Evaluation criteria focus on the quality and viability of the submitted Business Plan, candidate motivation, relevant skills, clear learning objectives, and the potential value of the proposed cross-border collaboration.
Which Countries Are Eligible?
- New Entrepreneurs (Applicants): EU Member States and eligible SMP non-EU countries.
- Host Destinations: EU Member States, SMP countries, and select non-SMP host destinations (such as the UK, USA, Canada, and Singapore).
Where will the Program be Taken?
At the host entrepreneur’s business location in a participating destination country abroad.
How Many Participants:
Multiple exchange partnerships are funded annually across participating countries.
What is the Benefit of the Program:
- Financial Assistance: Monthly living and travel allowance paid directly to the new entrepreneur (rates vary by destination country, e.g., €900/month for Spain/Germany, €950/month for France, €1,000/month for Italy, €1,200/month for Denmark).
- No Participation Fees: Application and participation are completely free of charge.
- Business Development: On-the-job training, international market insights, mentoring, and professional network expansion.
How Long Will it Last:
1 to 6 months (can be divided into weekly slots spread over a maximum span of 12 months).
How to Apply:
- Prepare your application documents: CV, letter of motivation, and a comprehensive Business Plan.
- Register online via the official EYE IT Tool/Portal and select a Local Contact Point (LCP) in your country of residence.
- Submit your profile, CV, and Business Plan to your LCP for formal assessment.
- Once accepted into the catalog, search for a suitable Host Entrepreneur (or suggest one you are already in contact with).
- Agree on an activity plan, objectives, and exchange dates with your host, then submit the project details to your LCP.
- Digitally sign the Commitment to Quality in the IT Tool and sign the Financial Agreement with your LCP prior to departure.
