European Entrepreneurs - Actors of Change for Transition to Sustainability

<< Background >>We applied for the Entrepreneurs ACT project to address the urgent need for sustainability and social innovation competencies among aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs in Romania and Greece. As organisations actively involved in entrepreneurship education, we observed a clear gap in both the knowledge and the educational tools required to support a transition toward green, digital, and socially responsible business models. At the same time, educators in our communities lacked accessible, practice-oriented resources to teach these emerging topics. By developing this project, we aimed to empower both target groups—entrepreneurs and educators—while strengthening the local entrepreneurial ecosystems and contributing to the broader European objectives of green and digital transformation.<< Objectives >>We aimed to strengthen the capacity of our organisations and other entrepreneurship educators to teach and support sustainable, green, and socially responsible business models, using non-formal education methods. We also aimed to increase the sustainability competencies of wanna-be and new entrepreneurs, supporting them to act on sustainability and become agents of change in their communities. Additionally, the project sought to raise awareness and encourage local ecosystems—educators, entrepreneurship centres, CSOs, and public authorities—to embrace and promote the transition to sustainable business practices. All these objectives contributed to supporting the green and digital transition and fostering social innovation in the entrepreneurship education ecosystem in Romania and Greece.<< Implementation >>The project was implemented in three phases: research and consultation, resource development, and piloting/dissemination. We started with community dialogues in Romania and Greece, engaging over 60 stakeholders to explore the needs and expectations of local entrepreneurial ecosystems. Based on those findings, we co-designed the Entrepreneurs ACT Training Module and Playbook—modular tools educators can adapt to 1, 3, or 5-day formats. We then piloted the training in Cluj-Napoca and Athens with 59 entrepreneurs. Two multiplier events followed, gathering more than 30 educators and stakeholders. We coordinated joint planning, management, and evaluation activities and ensured strong communication and visibility across digital and face-to-face channels.<< Results >>We enabled over 50 educators and nearly 60 wanna-be and new entrepreneurs from Athens and Cluj-Napoca to become actors of change for a green, digital, and socially responsible business sector. They gained concrete sustainability competencies and learned how to implement ESG and CSR practices. The Entrepreneurs ACT Training Module and Playbook—co-created and tested across both countries—offered innovative, practice-based learning journeys and can be adapted to diverse educational settings. These resources and the Community Dialogues Comparative Report were shared with over 400 stakeholders and are available as open-access educational resources. The project fostered long-term capacity-building and collaboration in the entrepreneurship education ecosystem and laid the groundwork for future initiatives integrating sustainability into adult learning and local development.