PIONEER+ Strengthens Collaboration Through First Physical Meeting, Leadership Workshop, and Online Training Launch

Strengthening Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Knowledge Transfer Across Europe

The PioneerPlus project continues to strengthen cooperation between universities, research communities, public institutions, and regional innovation ecosystems across Europe, fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and knowledge transfer.

Upcoming Activity: Networking Day on Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Ionian University

As part of its upcoming actions, Ionian University will host a Hybrid Workshop on Innovation, Research & Entrepreneurship on 4 December 2025, serving as a Networking Day for students and researchers.

The event will bring together students, researchers, public authorities, university research structures, professional and productive bodies, and financial and entrepreneurship-support organizations from the Ionian Islands Region. Its objective is to promote dialogue on innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology transfer, while creating opportunities for collaboration and for transforming research outcomes into societal and economic impact.

Completed Activities: Strengthening Entrepreneurship Education, Research, and Ecosystems

Future Founders Forum (RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau)

Within the framework of the Pioneer+ project, RPTU organized the Future Founders Forum, an international online event designed to support aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage founders, with a particular focus on international students and researchers aiming to start a business in Germany.

The Forum provided practical insights into the German start-up ecosystem, including legal and funding frameworks, support structures, and real start-up experiences shared by experts, investors, and founders. By lowering entry barriers to entrepreneurship and promoting international exchange, the event reinforced the role of universities as key connectors within innovation ecosystems.

Entrepreneurship Research and Collaboration at University of Trier

Project partner Trier University completed several activities advancing entrepreneurship education and research. On 24 November, the university organized an internal workshop on entrepreneurship education and mentoring, focusing on task coordination and identifying synergies within the regional innovation ecosystem. Discussions led to the exploration of potential cooperation with the Bridge Incubator, strengthening links between academic initiatives and start-up support structures.

In parallel, Trier University researchers contributed to Pioneer+ through publications addressing key aspects of entrepreneurship, including investment decision-making, social venture performance, customer selection in social enterprises, microcredits and business survival, and university-based maker entrepreneurship.

Looking Ahead

Through a combination of targeted networking events, ecosystem-building activities, and high-quality research outputs, the Pioneer+ project continues to enhance entrepreneurial capacity, knowledge exchange, and innovation-driven growth across Europe.