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4.3 Startups competition

Startups may benefit from EU funding programmes aimed at promoting SMEs, as well as in relation to
certain policies such as SME-specific competition rules. European Commission policy in relation to SMEs is
mainly concentrated in five priority areas, covering:

- the promotion of entrepreneurship and skills
- the improvement of SMEs’ access to markets
- reduction of bureaucratic procedures
- the improvement of SMEs’ growth potential
- strengthening dialogue and consultation with SME stakeholders.

There are many startups competitions, here some important ones in Europe:

Clic project

The CLIC project applies the circular economy principles to cultural heritage adaptive reuse for achieving
environmentally, socially, culturally and economically sustainable urban/territorial development. CLIC
Start-up Competition has been designed to give cultural and creative entrepreneurs a real-world
experience to fine tune their business plans and elevator pitches to generate funding for successful
commercialization of their product.

Green Challenge

The Postcode Lotteries Green Challenge is one of the largest competitions in the field of sustainable
entrepreneurship.

Creative Business cup Network

The Creative Business Cup is a global competition where participants have the opportunity to win a variety
of prizes to help them build their ideas and concepts into sustainable businesses.

4.4 Sustainable business - EXAMPLES

An eco-friendly business, or “green business” is one that demonstrates a commitment to an
environmentally sustainable future. Green businesses strive to have a positive impact on the environment
and their community. This can be achieved through many practices and strategies, from recycling to
sourcing local products to promoting energy efficiency. To develop a sustainable business it is important to
consider some aspects, there are 8 things to include in opening a start up which are now very important
for sustainable development. They can create a social, economic and environmental impact on the
community and the territory itself.