Transnational Entrepreneurship – Including and maintaining entrepreneurial talents in the Øresund Region

…is the titel of a new project Øresund Entrepreneurship has initiated with the guiding research question;

Which areas within policy and university initiatives can the Øresund Region (further) develop and coordinate with the goal of making it more attractive for international students and researchers to start a business here, so more transnational entrepreneurs are included and maintained? And which partners can help solve the task?

What we do…

We are researching the status in Sweden & Denmark – What is being done to make it attractive, easy, and a matter of course for the international talents to stay and start their own business? We strive to detect the gaps and identify what the needs are with cross-border added value in mente. We look at both the formal side of e.g. policy and the more informal initiatives and are currently forming hypothesis. The goal is to decide upon a couple of focus areas with corresponding activities to be implemented with partners involved.

What we know…

We know the structural frames need to be in place, but we also know that that is not enough. The information availability and social side also need to be in place. That is where we would like your input. 

How can we make the international talents feel welcome, included, secure and well-informed in and about the context of Øresund so starting a business here becomes an attractive possibility? Join the debate! Ideas? Experiences?

Best,

Lisa

Ps. You can follow the project and keep track of events here

Øresund Entrepreneurship was pleased and proud to participate in the 55^th anniversary for the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), celebrated with an extraordinary conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, dedicated to the topic of entrepreneurship.  

ICSB  maintains its initial mission by setting forth objectives that include becoming recognized as the primary source for educational resources in small and medium size businesses and entrepreneurship in the world. Furthermore, since 2005, the ICSB has continued its trajectory as the premier membership organization in the world dedicated to the advancement of management development practices for potential entrepreneurs and existing small business owner/managers through education, research, and the free exchange of ideas. By filling the role of an umbrella organiza­tion, as an integrator of new knowledge, the Council reinforces rather than duplicates the work of other organiza­tions involved in small business development.

At the conference, ideas and experiences were exchanged, and the program was packed with paper sessions and workshops, as well as networking events, a galla dinner and much more. Many relevant contacts were made, and the topic of Minerva Bridge was eagerly discussed. Participants were impressed with Minerva Bridge as an inspiring initiative, as well as underlining how unique the Øresund Region and our organization are in what we do. The cross-border collaboration involving students, educators, business people, and government institutions was perceived as visionary and interesting.

It will be exciting to see, what the newly established contacts can contribute with in the future. We believe there are many collaborative opportunities for mutual benefit, also including Minerva Bridge.

Share experiences from the ICSB conference here – or other thoughts on entrepreneurship in relation to small businesses. What are the challenges and opportunities?

Lisa

Under the title, Education & Growth – Entrepreneurial education and innovation efforts in the Øresund Region, Øresund Entrepreneurship’s workshop was exceptionally dynamic. The stage was taken by the participants, and open for innovational debate and entrepreneurial behavior. The starting point was a few ”beautiful questions” which were discussed by relevant stakeholders – and the roles were represented in their most colorful form.

(Note that the above question was for provocative effect – of course they are VERY important )

The workshop was transformed into a roleplay, which was both fun, educational, and inspiring. Everybody got into character, and made it somewhat of a happening! Good job everyone! And thank you for making the launch of our new brand fantastic!

Best,

Lisa

Ps. for more information on the event visit Øresund Org.

Furthermore, the event sets the scene for the launch of the new brand for Øresund University & Øresund Science Region, which Øresund Entrepreneurship Academy is a part of. We are proud to partake in this common platform for co-operation in the Øresund Region, and the now increased streamlining of cluster efforts. 

I believe that these sorts of events have a lot of potential to help further the realization of potential in the Øresund Region.

Out of the 10 sessions to choose from, I am especially looking forward to the one on education & growth (of course ) and my other choice: Creating World Excellence

The event is free, and I highly recommend you register before participation limit is reached! If not for the academic inputs, then to satisfy your curiosity for the direction of Øresund Entrepreneurship Academy, and thereby also Minerva Bridge…I myself cannot wait for the new brand to be officially unveiled.

For more information and registration visit www.10IDEAS10YEARS.ORG 

Maybe I’ll see you there

Best,

Lisa

Some Minerva Bridge members and teachers found each other afterwards and “partnerships” are being established as a result. Hopefully, we will get the chance to host yet another successful Teaser – possibly in Sweden this time.

Until then, here are some pictures from the morning:

You can also see/read more about the event here – and as the presentations were filmed, a video should await …

Best,

Lisa

Tomorrow I’m participating in the exciting ‘Minerva Bridge Teaser’ event. The members of Minerva Bridge have the opportunity to give the teachers an appetizer on our different contributions as guest-lecturers. A great initiative with the important purpose of realiazing the Minerva Bridge-intentions of bringing practise into the university-teaching of entrepreurship. As I see it, it’s a brilliant and needed cowork between the academic world and the business life. There’s still a huge gab between education and action in practice, in my opinion. All it takes to connect the to realities, is to help the students to understand and act in organizations and their coming profession. I’ve mentored many students in my time, to prevent them from getting a shock, when they met the demands and expectations of the workinglife. What I mean is, let’s help the fantastic young ones by teaching them both theory and practice during their education. In my oppinion OEAcademy is a rolemodel in that mission.

It takes time to spread new messages and actions. Tomorrow is an important step in the proces of building bridges between teachers and companies - education and workinglife. I think the OEAcademy-staff is doing a great job to innovate the educations in Ørestadens Universities.  It’s my wish for the future, that all educations in all levels, will follow their example immidiately.

This semester the camp revolves around CBS’ new strategy. It is in an ever-changing landscape CBS needs to create value, with “business” being a cornerstone of progress and prosperity. There is no business without society, and no society without business. It is in this context we should discuss the business of Business Schools, considering strategy at par with other professions, and being innovative in the process. The current situation at CBS is one of an accounting mess. Hence, CBS stands before a challenge of correcting the wrongs and building a sustainable strategy for the future.

It was with the inauguration of the new rector at CBS, Johan Roos, in August 2009 that CBS first heard of the 5 principles that are to define and guide CBS into the future by building the foundation for CBS’ strategy. In the process, the organization, students and employees are included. The 5 principles are:

Dedicated to Relevance (DR)
Creating Distinctiveness (CD)
Committed to Excellence (CE)
Rewarding Imagination (RI)
Join Us! (JU)

These principles facilitate a journey of (strategy) consideration meant to establish CBS as a global role model and enhance Denmark’s possibilities in the world community. They are five simple principles to direct Business Schools in general and CBS in particular. What do these principles signify in relation to strategy? What specific ideas can depict the principles?

What must CBS do in order to become a global role model in the areas of business research, education, and diffusion?

All innovative ideas are welcome!

Best,

Lisa

Sign up for a presentation, which will serve as an appetizer on what members can be utilized for in a teaching situation. Hopefully, the Minerva Teaser will entail that more teachers integrate Minerva Bridge into their planning.

Would you like to participate? Email me at lisa.bentsen@oeacademy.org

What do you think of the idea of a Minerva Teaser? Do you have other ideas?

Best,

Lisa Gram Bentsen

many from our network were invited to witness the event, which included various guest speakers, one of which was Carla Cammilla Hjort, founder and director of ArtRebels and member of Minerva Bridge.

Amongst the guests was Jakob Algreen-Ussing, a man with a desire to help a young enterprise with an attractive business idea and a social entrepreneurial touch. His main criteria for support were that ArtRebels need be web-based and making a difference in the world, both of which ArtRebels can live up to. The meeting between the entrepreneur and the business angel has resulted in a partnership, lifting ArtRebels to new levels. Merely 3 months after the meeting Jakob obtained half of the holding company, which includes ArtRebels Agency, ArtRebels Exchange, and ArtRebels Events.

Apart from a sum of money for further development ArtRebels gained an active partner and mentor for ArtRebels management. The partnership is still new. However, both sides are already pleased with the collaboration and the company turnover is increasing, along with a more professional spirit, still leaving space for the creative flow that thrives in ArtRebels. In January 2010 ArtRebels is to launch its new website as a global exclusive community/shop/blog for creative souls from all around the world. Optimism is high as the succes story of the partnership is hopefully just beginning.

I share this success story with you, as I would like awareness to spread, of the opportunities to be found in Øresund Entrepreneurship Academy’s events. Because of our broad platform of acquaintances, there are possibilities for collaboration and synergies all the time.

And at all kinds of events!

We are pleased that Minerva Bridge members and other entrepreneurs can benefit from our network. Do take advantage of it. And share success stories with us! How has the network contributed to your life? What people have you met who turned out to be “angels” for your success?

Best,

Lisa Gram Bentsen

Øresund Entrepreneurship Academy went on to celebrate the winners of the Hong Kong Business Plan Competition on the 18th of November 2009.  

10 ideas had been nominated, all of which we believed deserved further exploration.

Seeing an opportunity for information, knowledge, and experience sharing, facilitated by a personal relationship, we decided to take action. All 10 committed students with their business plan ideas have been partnered with members from Minerva Bridge, establishing Minerva Bridge’s first mentor mentee framework, which is hoped to benefit both sides of the collaboration. The mentor mentee framework will run from December 2009 to April 2010. 

We are proud to witness Minerva Bridge evolve. This was exactly what we hoped for the network – That new ideas would emerge along the way, Minerva Bridge not being predetermined, but dynamic, a process in the making.

Feel free to share experiences on being a mentor or something similar. What can one get out of a mentor mentee framework?  

Best,

Lisa Gram Bentsen