Business Initiative a.s.b.l.

1
1,2,3,GO An Interregional Stimulation Programme
for Entrepreneurship  

• by
• Business Initiative a.s.b.l.
• Luxembourg

Certified by the European Commission as an
example of Best Practice, Berlin June 2007
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What is the purpose of 1,2,3,GO ?

• Programme for entrepreneurship stimulation
• Business plan contest
• A network of 295 coaches
• Start bonus
• Dedicated exclusively to innovative projects
• Interregional covering 4 european countries
• Multicultural
• Multilingual with 3 different languages

Wallonia (Belgium)
Rhineland-Palatinate (Germany)
Grand-Duchy ofLuxemburg
Saarland (Germany)
Lorraine (France)
The Greater Region
65.401 km211,2 Millions Inhabitants53 000 new
businesses per year 257 000 Millions GDP in 2003
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Origin and set up of 1,2,3,GO

• Inspired by a German contest in Munich where a
  methodology by Mc Kinsey was used
• Extended to the Greater Region
• Centrally managed from Luxembourg
• Relayed in each region by 7 local offices
• Initiated by major Luxembourg employersorganisat
  ions (FEDIL, Chamber of Commerce and
  Luxinnovation)
• Formalised in 2000 by a non profit organisation
   Business Initiative , located in and supported
  by the Chamber of Commerce of Luxembourg
• Financed by public and private funds (more than
  50)

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Interregional special value of 1,2,3,GO

• Synergy effects between the 4 different regions
• Interregional events
• Each time in a different area of the GR
  (speed-coaching, business plan booster, award
  ceremony)
• Events are simultaneously translated into French
  and German
• Multilingual and multicultural
• Exchange of best practices in the entrepreneurial
  field
• Transborder business opportunities

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To be taken into account

• Steps to follow
• Implement and take care of the networking
• Create a strong management team
• Show a constant presence with events
• Elaborate an attractive web site
• Develop an efficient marketing campaign
• Insure a very professional communication between
  entrepreneurs and coaches

• Key success factors
• Permit the know-how transfer between the central
  organisation and regional representations
• Insure the implication of every relay
• Dynamise the network with coaches, sponsors and
  professionals
• Initiate a win/win situation between all
  stakeholders

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167 new businesses with 868 new jobs
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Our partners
Some of our new sponsors used to be 1,2,3,GO
projects !