DESIGN AND SUPPORT FOR INCUBATION PROGRAMMES UNDER THE EUROPEAN IDEAL PROJECT (INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND APPLIED LEARNING)
This project is part of the EIT HEI Initiative, a European initiative 100% funded by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT), which seeks to strengthen entrepreneurial and innovation capacity within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
Title: Institutional Development for Entrepreneurship and Applied Learning (IDEAL)
Client: Università degli Studi di Firenze (Coordinator) y EIT HEI Initiative
Project duration: 24 months (1st April 2025 – 30th April 2027)
DESCRIPTION
The IDEAL project’s primary objective is to transform the capabilities of European universities to foster entrepreneurship and applied innovation. As part of the EIT HEI Initiative, the programme aims to connect these institutions more effectively with business, creative and innovation ecosystems. Key project guidelines include improving entrepreneurship curricula and training programmes, as well as strengthening university governance structures oriented towards innovation. The implementation of these actions is designed to promote an entrepreneurial culture within the participating institutions.
The consortium delivering IDEAL is a multidisciplinary group made up of five European organisations. The four participating Higher Education Institutions come from Italy (Università degli Studi di Firenze, coordinator), Türkiye (Izmir Ekonomi Universitesi), the United Kingdom (University of Hull) and Germany (Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart). The strategic collaboration between these universities and Cink Venturing (Spain), as an expert partner in innovation and entrepreneurship, is a prominent element and a key aspect of the project’s communications.
As a Spanish business partner, Cink Venturing acts as a consultancy specialised in startups acceleration and knowledge transfer from the private sector. This involvement is crucial for designing methodologies and providing direct support to the incubation programmes that will be developed.
OPPORTUNITY
IDEAL represents a strategic opportunity for European universities to drive their institutional transformation in the field of entrepreneurship. The focus on connections between universities, business and innovation ecosystems ensures that outcomes go beyond academia, generating real impact on local and regional development.
Cink Venturing’s experience in designing methodologies and acceleration programmes ensures that applied entrepreneurship solutions are effective and scalable. Our participation addresses the need to transfer proven business experience into the academic environment, providing universities with the tools required to support the creation of new startups.
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METHODOLOGY
With a two-year duration (2025–2027), the project is structured into two implementation phases and delivered through six major work areas. The adopted methodology ensures rigorous management and effective implementation of the institutional transformation plans.
Implementation phases:
- Phase 1 (2025): covers the initial programme design stage, preparation of key materials, and the first implementations of the developed methodologies.
- Phase 2 (2026-2027): focuses on rolling out solutions at greater scale, scaling up training programmes, and consolidating the institutional transformations achieved.
IMPACT
The project is expected to generate significant impact by ensuring that participating universities are better prepared to promote entrepreneurship and innovation. Concrete outcomes include the adoption of new training programmes and entrepreneurial methodologies, alongside effective upskilling of university staff in applied innovation.
Ultimately, the collaboration generated will result in stronger connections between universities, businesses and territorial ecosystems, contributing directly to the development of Europe’s innovation capacity.
Cink Venturing strengthens the implementation of this key project by ensuring the transfer of startups acceleration methodologies proven in the private sector. This joint effort not only supports the objective of improving local ecosystems, but also consolidates the transformation of universities so they can effectively foster entrepreneurship in Europe.
