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Crowdfunding, marketing etc.

All countries(6)
The Elevate Greece Initiative and startup competitions in Greece
The first part of this article presents “Elevate Greece”; an official initiative of the Greek Government, aiming to register and map Greek start-ups in a National Register of Start-ups and to support their development. The ultimate goal is to promote a strong innovation ecosystem in Greece. The registration and support of the Greek innovative startups is Elevate Greece’s first step towards highlighting and developing the Greek innovation ecosystem. The perspective of the initiative is to expand its support to ScaleUp Companies as well as to more mature technology companies. Together with other partners, ElevateGreece organises numerous startup competitions every year, as a means of promoting the registered startups’ outreach and openness. These competitions are also presented in the article. The second part of the text presents startup competitions in Greece promoted mainly on an annual basis by a wide range of organisations from academia and the industry. They aim mainly to allow researchers and entrepreneurs to promote innovative solutions to current challenges.
The_Elevate_Greece_initiative_and_startup_competitions_in_Greece.pdf
Social Media strategy
Social media strategy is a detailed plan that explains the tools, what social media accounts will be used, the main goals the company wants to satisfy, and gives an overview of a monthly social media posting calendar. A Social Media plan can help your company improve brand awareness, establish a relationship with customers, and outreach potential customers. The social media sites you will probably use are: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok, Pinterest, Linked in, Youtube. In order to complete a social media strategy, you need to answer the following questions. What is your social media purpose and the goal of your brand? What role does social media play in your growth strategy? Who is the key target audience? What Social Media do they use more often? What other brands, celebrities, or personalities does your audience follow? What brand voice do you choose? What are the top 3 communication messages that you need your audience to know? What do your competitors do and are they better than you? What are your brand’s vision and goals? Every company must have a clear social media plan and goals to archive. The reporting and feedback are very crucial for social media success. Furthermore, every company must find the tools that are available to create, handle and monitor social media campaigns. Finally you need to establish your most important metrics and KPIs. In this article you will find the Key Performance Indicators for each social medium such as reach, engagement, conversions, hashtags, clicks and more.
Social_media_strategy.pdf
Drafting a Marketing Plan
A marketing plan lays out all of the necessary components for effectively and regularly promoting your company. A marketing strategy does not have to be difficult or lengthy. Every small business should have a simple marketing strategy to guide their efforts and keep them focused on their objectives. In every marketing plan you will need to specify a vision for your business and define your mission and goals. You must set S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals and outline what you want to accomplish, at a certain time period. You need to identify and describe your ideal client (or main target group), by creating buying personas. Create a SWOT analysis and identify what makes you different from all other competitors. Search about your competitors and learn more about your market. Create a road map for achieving your goals and an action plan for what you need to do and when. The most important is to track your progress and create benchmarks. Finally in every marketing plan, you need to create a budget allocation and an advertising plan, with projections and estimated results.
Drafting_a_Marketing_Plan.pdf
Advertising reporting
In order to assess the efficacy of a campaign or advertisement based on customer response, advertising reporting is required. This type of report is critical because it determines whether an advertisement's return on investment (ROI), which is one of the objectives of advertising, has been met. Advertising metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are used to quantify and assess a company's attempts to influence the attitude and behavior of a target audience. Advertising KPIs now include methods for assessing the effectiveness of both traditional and digital marketing platforms. Measuring brand mentions and cost per impression (CPM) across social media channels, as well as return on investment for conventional media such as print and television, are examples of this. Examples of advertising KPIs are: impressions, ROAS, conversions, engagements, page likes, revenue, sessions etc.
Advertising_reporting.pdf
Conducting a market research
In this text you will find how to conduct a market research and a competitive analysis. When talking about Marketing Research we refer to various practices that aim to gather data and systematize it in order to draw conclusions and present it in meaningful ways; this is then used to support decision making within Marketing. We can broadly divide marketing research into exploratory research and conclusive research. Exploratory research seeks to develop initial hunches or insights and to provide direction for any further research needed, whereas conclusive research aims to verify insights and to aid decision makers in selecting a specific course of action. Frequently used approaches for conducting exploratory research include interviewing knowledgeable individuals (the key-informant technique), focus group interviews, analysis of secondary data, the case study method, and the observation method. From the researcher's standpoint, these approaches are quite flexible. The effectiveness of exploratory research depends to a large degree on the researcher's resourcefulness and skills. Two forms of conclusive research are descriptive research and experimental research. The purpose of descriptive research is to generate data describing a phenomenon or set of phenomena, and to identify associations between different variables. However, descriptive research cannot unambiguously establish causal linkages. Experimental research, by generating data under controlled conditions, is capable of establishing cause and effect between variables with more certainty.
Conducting_a_market_research.pdf
Crowdfunding in Greece
Crowdfunding, also known as collective or mass-financing, is a new method for financing a range of initiatives such as businesses, cultural activities, social projects, etc. It allows entrepreneurs to request funds from a large number of people, each one usually providing a relatively small sum. It is an open offer, usually raised through a website, and can be presented with or without a reward system or potential profit for the investor. Thus, these contributions can have the character of grants or, conversely, provide some financial compensation for the risk taken. Crowdfunding is a new type of alternative funding that connects those who can give, lend, or invest money with people who need money for a specific project. Campaigns are usually based on public requests for funding through the internet and are aimed at specific initiatives. A crowdfunding process will normally involve three types of participants: the entrepreneur, the group of individuals who choose to contribute funds to support the initiative, and technological platforms that allow contact between them. This article investigates the impact of "crowdfunding" as a viable source of capital, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of crowdfunding in social and traditional enterprises, in order to better understand how crowdfunding can be beneficial in terms of both economic and social impact, as well as how the important elements of a successful crowdfunding campaign can be identified. Crowdfunding can therefore be described as a new mechanism for financial disintermediation, usually based on digital technologies. Recently it has experienced significant growth, successfully adapting to the financing needs of companies in general, and entrepreneurs in particular.
Crowdfunding_in_Greece.pdf
Cyprus(6)
The Startup ecosystem in Cyprus: Success stories of SSEs
Cyprus is rapidly becoming a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship with the number of start-ups in Cyprus increasing in recent years. Start-ups are an essential driver of the economy as a source of prosperity through the creation of new products and adding services, respecting the market, and creating more jobs. The development of an international start-up ecosystem that fosters innovation can contribute to sustainable economic growth and competitiveness. A start-up ecosystem is a complex social network created by a company interacting with other entities. Actors within such networks can be categorised into entrepreneurial entities, business support organisations, and investor groups. In this article, we focus on one organisation, Startup Cyprus, the flagship of the start-up ecosystem in Cyprus. Inspired by the European Startup Manifesto, the local start-up ecosystem of Cyprus united to draft the Cyprus Startup Manifesto, which includes ten suggestions for the further development of the ecosystem and the strengthening of start-ups. The Republic of Cyprus has actively adopted the recommendations of the Cyprus Startup Manifesto drafted by Startup Cyprus and invited the organisation to participate in the drafting of the National Entrepreneurship Policy Statement. This article also discusses social entrepreneurship and social enterprises in Cyprus. "Social entrepreneurship" addresses current economic, social, and environmental challenges through the development of sustainable employment, social inclusion, improved community services, and more. Social enterprises operating in the socio-economic sector follow a different business model than large enterprises.
The_Startup_ecosystem_in_Cyprus_Success_stories_of_SSEs.pdf
Business Model Canvas: Testing your idea
The Business Model Canvas (BMC) is one of the most successful business modeling tools. BMC can be used by groups as a common language for better strategic conversations or individually as a tool for structuring your thinking. The structure of the BMC is based on nine standard building blocks. The BMC categorizes the processes and internal activities of a business into 9 separate categories, each of which represents a building block in the creation of the product or service. These building blocks can be structured through the main themes of the business model dimensions: value proposition (value proposition), architecture of the relationship between the business and its exchange partners (Customer Department, Channels, Customer Relationships and Key Partners), key activities and key resources and financial aspects (revenue stream and structure).
Business_Model_Canvas.pdf
Why the team is the most important element of your business
Big ideas fail and fail mainly due to the poor team composition. Almost everyone who has gone through the world of start-ups has experienced or heard stories of great ideas that failed because the team did not have a harmony of both knowledge and character. But what makes a team capable of leading an idea into a successful product? In general, it can be considered that if: the team members have previously worked for other companies, have a good knowledge of the product and possess the necessary skills in this area then the chances of success increase. Another dilemma faced by many new startup founders is whether you should rely on a co-founder or an employee. Once you have recognized that the team needs support how do you manage it? How do you decide if the aid you need should be covered through associates or employees? An important factor in making this decision is the combination of significance, commitment and time. Furthermore, another important factor when building your team is to be sure to avoid hiring people who will not work well together. Finally, we present the 3 must-have roles for a successful team, as well as some conclusions and good practices that emerged from the study of real cases.
Why_the_team_is_the_most_important_element_of_your_business_.pdf
Startup competitions in Cyprus
Young entrepreneurs creating a startup often need to make use of a variety of funding sources to implement their business idea. A popular way for innovative startups to gain visibility and funding is to enter a business idea competition, where entrepreneurs present their business idea to a team of experts in the hope of winning a prize. Entrepreneurship competitions offer innovative startups numerous benefits, both during their preparation and during the competition, such as: raising funds, meeting mentors, networking, practicing essential skills, and receiving media coverage. There are, of course, some disadvantages to applying for business idea competitions. The most significant disadvantage is the distraction. Another essential factor to consider is cost. Therefore, startup founders should do a cost/benefit analysis before applying to a competition. Needless to say, there are many startup pitch competitions taking place around the world. Examples of such contests are the Y Combinator Demo Day, TechCrunch Disrupt, and the Web Summit. In addition, there are currently three important business idea competitions in Cyprus that aim to help innovative ideas reach the next stage of their development. These are Cyprus Entrepreneurship Competition (CYEC), IDEA Innovation Center, and EIT Climate-KIC.
Startup_competitions_in_Cyprus.pdf
Crowdfunding in Cyprus: framework, regulations and case studies
Crowdfunding is a form of alternative financing that has developed in recent years. Unlike traditional funding methods, crowdfunding raises funds from many people, usually individuals or groups of people who donate money to a campaign. Based on the diversity of funded causes and the different rewards that investors are given as incentives, crowdfunding can be divided into four categories. Of these, the two categories mostly used for non-profit causes are donation-based crowdfunding and reward-based crowdfunding. The other two forms of crowdfunding are purely investment-oriented and involve equity crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending. Despite the huge increase observed in the European Union and globally in recent years, crowdfunding in Cyprus is still in its infancy, with minimal effect on Cypriot. Recently, the European Union created a regulatory framework to establish uniform rules across the EU to provide crowdfunding services based on equity and peer-to-peer lending forms of financing. The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission has also proposed a regulatory framework for investment-based crowdfunding by issuing convertible securities. Finally, we present the case study of a successful Cypriot campaign and discuss the "good practices" followed by the campaign organizers.
Crowdfunding_in_Cyprus__framework__regulations_and_case_studies.pdf
Crowdfunding in Cyprus: framework, regulations and case studies
Crowdfunding is a form of alternative financing that has developed in recent years. Unlike traditional funding methods, crowdfunding raises funds from many people, usually individuals or groups of people who donate money to a campaign. Based on the diversity of funded causes and the different rewards that investors are given as incentives, crowdfunding can be divided into four categories. Of these, the two categories mostly used for non-profit causes are donation-based crowdfunding and reward-based crowdfunding. The other two forms of crowdfunding are purely investment-oriented and involve equity crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending. Despite the huge increase observed in the European Union and globally in recent years, crowdfunding in Cyprus is still in its infancy, with minimal effect on Cypriot. Recently, the European Union created a regulatory framework to establish uniform rules across the EU to provide crowdfunding services based on equity and peer-to-peer lending forms of financing. The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission has also proposed a regulatory framework for investment-based crowdfunding by issuing convertible securities. Finally, we present the case study of a successful Cypriot campaign and discuss the "good practices" followed by the campaign organizers.
Italy(2)
The Startup ecosystem in Italy: Success stories of SSEs
Despite the wide heterogeneity of sources and methodologies, all the data on investments in startups tell us about a rapidly growing sector, especially in recent years. Developing synergies with the world of startups becomes a way to oversee innovation in some rapidly expanding areas - eg: sustainability, smartworking, e-commerce - and then adapt and integrate it to your core business. Over the last 20 years, the number of innovative startups present in the country has grown almost constantly. In the second quarter of 2021, therefore in June, there were over 13,500, an almost double presence in the last 4 years. Not only that: their specific weight within the broader family of new joint-stock companies has also increased regularly: a sign of the fact that setting up an innovative startup in our country is increasingly coveted, but (perhaps) also easier and more convenient. . On closer inspection, it is the entire innovation ecosystem that has been able to thrive with a certain continuity, even through the pandemic. If you zoom in on the time line in correspondence with the most critical phase of the pandemic and compare the data of June 2021 with those of December 2019, there is not only an increase in the number of startups and in the value of overall production, but also a increase of other innovation actors, such as innovative SMEs and incubators. In terms of investments, 2019 had recorded a total amount of capital invested in startups of 723 million. Today, in the first half of 2021 and after a 2020 marked by stability (729), the sector is back to running: 661 million (+ 155% compared to the same period of the previous year). At the end of the year, we could exceed one billion. In this text we want to analyze the ecosystem of startups in Italy and also understand its criticalities. We will also see the contribution that the PNNR can make to the development of startups in Italy.
3.1_L_ecosistema_Startup_in_Italia_storie_di_successo_di_SSE__se_presenti___Locale_.pdf
Crowdfunding in Italy: framework, regulations and case studies
Crowdfunding is a way of raising money to finance projects and businesses. It allows fundraisers to collect money from a large number of people through online platforms. Crowdfunding is mostly used by start-ups or expanding businesses as a way of accessing finance alternative. It is an innovative way to find funding for new projects, businesses or ideas. It can also be a way to rally a community around your offering. Thanks to the strength of the online community you can also gain useful market knowledge and reach new customers. Crowdfunding platforms are websites that allow interaction between fundraisers and a wide audience. Through the crowdfunding platform it is possible to express and collect financial commitments. Many platforms operate according to a maximalist (all or nothing) model. This means that if you reach yours goal you receive the money, otherwise everyone gets their money back, without worries and without financial losses. There are different types of crowdfunding which we will explain in the following text. This text gives you unbiased advice to help you understand how the most common types of crowdfunding used by SMEs and for-profit start-ups work.
3.2_Crowdfunding_in_Italia_framework_normative_e_casi_studio__Local_.pdf
Spain(3)
Startup competitions in Spain
Startup competitions are one of the main means for startups to gain public recognition and, above all, to make themselves known to potential investors. Based on the pitch competition model, startups compete across different forums to be considered the startup with the most disruptive and profitable product of the moment. In their own way, startup incubators and accelerators are a competitive stepping stone for companies. Competitions can be organised on a sectoral (divided by market sectors) or generalist basis. The international scalability of startups has made it increasingly difficult to find purely national competitions. However, said competitions are often the gateway to European or global ones, allowing the winning startup to gain the interest of the most influential venture capitalists and business angels out there
EDITED_2300_Startup_competitions_in_Spain_REV2.docx.pdf
Crowdfunding in Spain: framework, regulations and case studies.
Great ideas have been forsaken for simply not having the financial support needed to back them up. The development of ICTs has served as a loudspeaker so that millions of people can make their economic needs known, and in turn as a connector between individuals who share common interests. In this context, crowdfunding has emerged as a useful resource to fill this gap in global society. The text delves into the different options this digital financing platform offers and outlines how it has evolved up to the present. In addition, different success stories of crowdfunding initiatives in our country are presented.
EDITED_2300_Crowdfunding_in_Spain__framework__regulations_and_case_studies_REV2.docx.pdf
The start-up ecosystem in Spain: Success stories of SSEs
Without a doubt, start-ups have changed today’s business ecosystem in Spain, contributing to the economic and technological development of the country. This article analyses the development of this type of organisation in Spain, the possible types of financing and different success stories within the Spanish territory.
EDITED_03__2200_The_Startup_ecosystem_in_Spain_Success_stories_of_SSEs_REV2.docx.pdf

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