Senior Entrepreneurs: Best Practices Exchange Seniors as Mentors Laboratory

Table of Contents
1.

Project Information ......................................................................................................................... 4

2.

Practical Information ....................................................................................................................... 5

Hotel .............................................................................................................................................. 5
Laboratory venue .......................................................................................................................... 6
Contact Person onsite ................................................................................................................... 6
Transport from point of arrival to the hotels and to the venue ................................................... 6

3.

Laboratory Agenda ........................................................................................................................ 14

4.

Facilitators ..................................................................................................................................... 17

5.

The Silver Lining ............................................................................................................................. 18

6.

Implementing Organisations ......................................................................................................... 22

8.

Sample Evaluation Form ................................................................................................................ 24

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Senior Entrepreneurs: Best Practices Exchange Seniors as Mentors Laboratory

BEST PRACTICES EXCHANGE: SENIORS AS MENTORS LABORATORY

16 AND 17 JUNE 2015
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

Dear Participant,
Thank you for participating in the European Commission funded Seniors as Mentors Laboratory,
under the Senior Entrepreneurs: Best Practices Exchange initiative of the Executive Agency for Small
and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME).
Included in this Laboratory Kit you will find an introduction to the European Commission Senior
Entrepreneurs: Best Practices Exchange initiative, project background information, as well as
practical information.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact the Senior Entrepreneurs Team at
DEVELOPMENT Solutions: seniorentrepreneurs@development-solutions.eu, or you can reach us by
phone at +86 (10) 85275705.

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Senior Entrepreneurs: Best Practices Exchange Seniors as Mentors Laboratory

1. Project Information
Senior Entrepreneurs Initiative
Senior Entrepreneurs : Best Practices Exchange is a twelve-month project commissioned by the
Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) to support and ensure the
sharing of experiences and good practices in i) seniors as mentors, and ii) seniors as entrepreneurs.
The 'Senior entrepreneurs: Best practice exchanges' project is designed to contribute to the overall
EU Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan by directly addressing the third objective of developing role
models and reaching out to specific groups, while also indirectly contributing to the other two pillars,
the provision of education and training and the creation of a favourable environment for
entrepreneurs, through related actions. Supporting the transition of seniors to become
entrepreneurs (or mentors to younger entrepreneurs) presents an important segment for potentially
increasing economic and innovation activity.

Project Objectives
This project aims to establish a framework of good practice for all stakeholders to aid seniors to (i)
enter the market as entrepreneurs, (ii) become and continue to be mentors for younger
entrepreneurs, and/or take on other related roles, such as investors in entrepreneurship. The
objectives of the project are the following:
1.
2.

3.

4.
5.

Facilitate peer-learning and the exchange of good practice between actors involved in
supporting senior entrepreneurship;
Explore and develop innovative ideas in the field of senior entrepreneurship, such as senior
entrepreneurs becoming partners in start-ups (Entrepreneurs Seniors model from France),
and approaches to reconciling senior entrepreneurship and pension provision in various
Member States;
Collect good practice cases and practical guidelines that will be used by the European
Commission, national/regional governments, business support organisations and
practitioners to further develop their policies and activities in this field.
Offer a model for similar events to be organised at national or cross-country level;
Foster cooperation and possible joint projects between participating organisations,
especially cross-country and on a European level.

The results of this project will include the dissemination and uptake of the good practice manual and
the two laboratories, which will include recommendations for policy and programmes, to interested
administrations and organisations (e.g. public administrations, national and regional governments,
business support providers, and social support organisations) for replication.

The Laboratory
These objectives will be realised through the creation of two high-profile transnational
"laboratories" which will act as a platform for best practice sharing amongst public administrations
in the EU supporting start-ups or entrepreneurship or business transfers, or developing policy in this
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area, and involving organisations already working in the field of senior entrepreneurship, business
support organisations, and selected senior entrepreneurs.
A detailed programme is provided in section 3.

2. Practical Information
Hotel
All participants and facilitators will be accommodated at four different hotels in the same area:
London Premier Kensington Hotel, Executive Rooms London Kensington Hotel, Mayflower Hotel
and the Twenty Nevern Square Hotel.
All hotels are walking distance away from Earls Court Underground Station.
1) London Premier Kensington Hotel (opposite Executive Rooms London Kensington)
33/37 Hogarth Road, London SW5 0QQ
+44 (0) 20 73701445
http://www.londonpremierkensington.co.uk/
Please do not confuse with Premier Inn London Kensington.
2) Executive Rooms London Kensington Hotel (opposite London Premier Kensington Hotel,
check it at the London Premier Kensington Hotel)
32/36 Hogarth Road, London SW5 0PU
+44 (0) 20 73701445
http://www.executiveroomslondon.co.uk/
3) Mayflower Hotel (sister hotel of the Twenty Nevern Hotel)
26-28 Trebovir Road, London SW5 9NJ
+44 (0) 20 7370 0991
http://www.themayflowerhotel.co.uk/
4) The Twenty Nevern Square Hotel (sister hotel of the Mayflower Hotel)
20 Nevern Square, London SW5 9PD
+44 (0) 20 7565 9555
http://www.20nevernsquare.com/
Please kindly check which hotel you have been allocated to. We would like to inform you that it will
not be possible to change to a different hotel, we apologise for the inconvenience. Please note that
the official check-in time from 14:00 and the check-out time until 12:00. Should you be leaving
London straight from the venue, please remember to do the check-out in the morning and take
your luggage with you. Thank you.
Important note: accommodation (including breakfasts) has been prepaid by the organiser. However
any additional expenses that may occur during your stay (e.g. phone calls from your room, mini bar
etc.) will not be covered by the project and should be covered personally upon check-out.

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Laboratory venue
The workshop will be held at The Foundry, hosting all participants, at the following address:
The Foundry, 17 Oval Way
Vauxhall
London SE11 5RR, United Kingdom
http://www.aplaceforchange.co.uk/
Tel.: +44 (0) 20 3752 5470
Underground Station: Vauxhall

Contact Person onsite

The DS Event Coordinator, Ms Sara Wojewodzka, will be staying at London Premier Kensington
Hotel. If you need any help, please contact her directly on the ground. Her phone number is: 0044
7452039064.
Should you have any problems in contacting Ms Sara Wojewodzka please call our 24 hour help
number: 0086 18211004089.

Transport from point of arrival to the hotels and to the venue

Upon arrival at the airport or railway station, please make sure to take the public
transportation to the hotel (if you arrive on the 15th) or venue (if you arrive on the 16th or
17th).

If you are departing from the same airport, please purchase a return coach ticket upon
arrival.

For London Underground, please purchase a single ticket (if you arrive on the 15th) or a day
card (if you arrive on the 16th or 17th).

Upon check-in at the hotel, you will receive a travel card for the next days (16th and/or
17th) to be able to reach the venue and get back to the hotel later by public transport.

Kindly make sure to keep all receipts so that you can be reimbursed for these costs on-site.
We will only refund public transport costs; we will not be able to reimburse taxi costs. You
can call the DS Event Manager Ms Sara Wojewodzka in case you need assistance.

1) To all hotels (from Earls Court Underground Station):

Please check which airport or railway station you are arriving and follow the instructions below.

a) From London Heathrow Airport to hotels:

Please take the underground to Earls Court.

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Senior Entrepreneurs: Best Practices Exchange Seniors as Mentors Laboratory

b) From London Stansted Airport to hotels:

Please take a coach that goes to Victoria Coach Station (do not confuse with Victoria Rail Station). It
can be National Express A6 or Terravision A50.
http://www.stanstedairport.com/to-and-from-the-airport/coach/
From Victoria Station please take the underground to Earls Court.

c) From London Luton Airport to hotels:

Please take a coach that goes to Victoria Coach Station (do not confuse with Victoria Rail Station).
http://www.london-luton.co.uk/en/content/2/123/by-bus---coach.html
From Victoria Station please take the underground to Earls Court

d) From London Gatwick Airport to hotels:

Please an EasyBus to Earls Court (West Brompton). It will arrive close to Earls Court Underground
Station. Please see the map below.

e) From Kings Cross/St. Pancras International to hotels:

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2) From Earls Court Underground Station to the hotels:

a) London Premier Kensington Hotel and Executive Rooms London Kensington
Please exit Earls Court Underground Station into Earls Court Road. Outside, across the Earls Court
Road slightly to the left you will see Hogarth Road. Enter Hogarth Road and walk approximately 150
metres (0.1 mile). The hotels are located on opposite sides of the street. Please note that the
check-in for both hotels is at the London Premier Kensington Hotel.
Please see below the map of the route:

b) Mayflower Hotel
Please exit Earls Court Underground Station into Earls Court Road. Turn left and take the first street
left again (Trebovir Road). Walk for around 2 minutes and to your left you will see the Mayflower
Hotel.
Please see below the map of the route:

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c) The Twenty Nevern Square Hotel

Please exit Earls Court Underground Station into Earls Court Road. Turn left and take the first street
left again (Trebovir Road). Walk until on the right side you will see Nevern Square street. Turn right
and then left. You will see the hotel on the left side.
Please see below the map of the route:

3) To Vauxhall Underground Station (on the way to the venue The Foundry)
a) From London Heathrow to Vauxhall Underground station:

b) From Kings Cross/St. Pancras International to Vauxhall Underground station:

c) From London Stansted Airport to Vauxhall Underground Station:

Please take a coach that goes to Victoria Coach Station (do not confuse with Victoria Rail Station). It
can be National Express A6 or Terravision A50.
http://www.stanstedairport.com/to-and-from-the-airport/coach/
Then please take the Underground to Vauxhall Underground Station.

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d) From London Luton Airport to Vauxhall Underground Station:

Please take a coach that goes to Victoria Coach Station (do not confuse with Victoria Rail Station).
http://www.london-luton.co.uk/en/content/2/123/by-bus---coach.html
Then please take the Underground to Vauxhall Underground Station.

e) From London Gatwick Airport:

Please take a coach to Victoria Coach Station (do not confuse with Victoria Rail Station).
http://www.gatwickairport.com/to-and-from/by-coach-or-bus/
Then please take the Underground to Vauxhall Underground Station.

f) From Earls Court to Vauxhall Underground Station:

4) From Vauxhall Underground Station to The Foundry:

Upon exiting Vauxhall Underground Station, please make sure to turn eastwards (away from the
river) and follow the Kennington Lane. Please see below the view from the train tunnel; the road
which goes straight ahead (followed by the white car) is Kennington Lane.

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After about 300 metres (approximately 0.2 mile), please turn right into the Oval way. The Foundry
will already be visible and would take another 150 metres (approximately 0.1 mile) of walking.
Please see below for a look into the Oval Way, with The Foundry being the building with the three
grey coloured roofs.

Please see below the map of the route (described route follows the blue dotted line):

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The Foundry:

Meals
Breakfast will be provided by the hotel with no extra charge. Lunches are provided by the organiser
during the laboratory and will consist of a light meal. During the course of the event there will be
morning and afternoon coffee breaks. Finally, each evening a dinner will be organised.

Weather in London, United Kingdom

Although the first couple of days of June will continue with the cool and showery theme of May, it is
expected that high pressure will become much more of a dominant factor through June. With high
pressure expected to be in charge more often than not, it should be a largely dry month across the
UK. During the day temperatures may rise to 25C, but will drop to around 12C at night, so make
sure
to
bring
appropriate
clothing
for
the
weather
change.
Important Notice
Please ensure the following notices will be taken into account prior to your departure, thank you
very much:
1. Please keep all boarding passes for all of your flights (connecting and direct flights) and all
tickets for rail travel. The DS event coordinator will collect the boarding passes of the
journey to the lab. All participants are requested to return a scanned copy of their return
boarding pass by email to the following address: seniorentrepeneurs@developmentsolutions.eu
2. Please take note of the luggage allowance for your trip. Excess luggage could be charged
up to 40/kilo.
3. The electrical current in London is 220240 volts (coming into line with the rest of Europe
at 230 volts), 50 cycles alternating current (AC); wall outlets take three-pin plugs, and
shaver sockets take two round, oversize prongs. For converters, adapters, and advice, stop
in one of the many STA Travel shops around London or at Nomad Travel.
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4. Please bring the necessary or routinely required medications with you.

Laboratory Guidelines:

Please kindly ensure to switch your mobile to silent or vibrate during sessions.

Please wear the name badge provided to you.

Punctuality is expected for all sessions.

The Evaluation Form will be handed out to you upon your arrival at the venue, and a draft is
included in this Laboratory Pack. We thank you in advance for your kind cooperation to
complete the form and return it to us before the end of laboratory.

Please contact the hotel directly if there are any problems with your room.

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3. Laboratory Agenda
Plenary sessions
The Seniors as Mentors Laboratory will kick off in the morning of June 16th with an Opening Plenary,
presented in cooperation with the International Longevity Centre. The importance of the
overarching issues of an ageing workforce in the European context will be presented, as well as
discussing the importance of seniors acting as mentors for younger entrepreneurs and how seniors
are able to stay in the workforce for longer under this context.
Through the Stories From The Trenches sessions, the laboratory offers the space for some of the
participants to share their experience in the plenary sessions and to convey to the audience the
work of those on the ground through their successful stories and challenges in promoting senior
entrepreneurship. These presentations at different times of the two days will inspire and encourage
participants to share their own experience in the participatory leadership sessions.
The Seniors as Mentors Lab will be concluded on the second day, June 17th, after a learning space in
which participants will identify potential new projects and partnerships and concrete next steps to
transform those new ideas into reality.

Participatory Leadership Sessions

Bringing forth the experience and knowledge of the participants is a core objective of the Senior
Entrepreneurship Laboratories. To reach that goal and to create a room for sharing, collective
analysis and generation of new ideas, the laboratory will provide different participatory leadership
sessions and approaches.
During the first day of the laboratory, and in order to address the challenges, opportunities and
gaps, participants will engage in exploring and analyzing in depth the role and impact of seniors as
mentors from four different angles:
Advocacy for Policy Change, Programmes, Dissemination and Finance.
The second day of the laboratory will be articulated around two Non-conference spaces: and
open space session in which participants will take the lead to identify what are the themes, people
and projects they feel more incline to discuss and a learning space where participants will be
guided to gradually transform new ideas into action.
Each day will end by a collective reflection of the learning and applicability of the discussions and
ideas that have emerged during the sessions.

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AGENDA
Entrepreneurship Laboratories: Seniors as Mentors
Day 1 - London, June 16th, 2015
09:30 - 10:30

Registration and Welcome Drinks

10:30 10:50

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Entreprises (EASME) and
The International Longevity Centre UK

10:50 11:00

The Senior Entrepreneurship Laboratory Project (Jon Echanove)

11:00 - 11:20

Our Work Together Participatory Leadership (Facilitators Team)

11:20 - 13:15

Connecting: To the Group and the Topic

13:15 - 14:15

Lunch Break
Stories From the Trenches: On becoming a Mentor

14:15 - 14:45

(Sharing of Best Practices)

Challenges, Opportunities & Gaps

14:45 - 16:00

Advocacy for
Policy Change

16:00 - 16:30
16:30 - 17:00

Programmes
(Gaps and
Opportunities)

Dissemination (Gaps and

Opportunities)

Finance - (Gaps
and
Opportunities)

Tea Break
Advocacy for
Policy Change

Programmes
(Gaps and
Opportunities)

Dissemination (Gaps and

Opportunities)

Finance - (Gaps
and
Opportunities)

17:00 17:40

What Have We Learnt Today

17:40 18:30

Closing Remarks and Carry Forward Recommendations

18:30 Onwards

Dinner and Networking

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Entrepreneurship Laboratories: Seniors as Mentors

Day 2 - London, June 17th, 2015
09:30 - 09:40

Welcome

09:40 - 10:00

Stories From the Trenches: On the impact of Seniors as Mentors

(Sharing of Best Practices)

10:00 - 11:00

Non-Conference Space
A Non-Conference space where participants are free to propose private talks
to interested counterparts

11:00 - 11:30

Coffee break Team Interaction

11:30 - 12:30

Non-Conference Space
A Non-Conference space where participants are free to propose private
talks to interested counterparts

12:30 - 13:30

Lunch Break & Networking

13:30 - 14:30

Non-Conference Space
Putting things together

14:30 - 15:00

Stories From the Trenches: On the impact of Seniors as Mentors

(Sharing of Best Practices)

15:00 - 15:30

Tea Break

15:30 - 17:00

17:00 - 17:30
17:30 - 18:30
18:30 Onwards

Learning Space
Learning space whereby new projects and good practices can be
developed with the aid of experience practitioners
Next Steps
Appreciation & Closing Remarks
The International Longevity Centre UK

Dinner and Networking

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4. Facilitators
Name
Jon Echanove

Anna Dimitrova

Odysseas Velentzas

Anton Valkov

Nikos Rovakis

Experience
Executive Coach with more than 6 years experience in
facilitating adult learning and multiple stakeholders
training and workshops. Jon, in his role as Team Leader of
the project, is tasked with ensuring that the workshop
design, facilitation and harvesting respond the contractual
requests of the European Commission. As part of the
Facilitators Team he will contribute to the design,
facilitation and harvesting of the laboratories.
Anna is a multidisciplinary professional blending social
innovation, Art of Hosting, lean and design thinking. She
has led and supported local and international social
ventures in delivering their mission. She has worked with
leaders of social innovation and social enterprise support
globally and has helped them build better incubator and
accelerator programs. She is passionate about deep
impact through designing and leading agile collaborative
and participatory processes, workshops and events for
organisations, social enterprises and communities.
Odysseas Velentzas is a coach-facilitator and host of
participatory processes. He is facilitating a variety of tools
based on organizational learning, systems thinking
approach and a range of participatory processes for
business, social enterprises and Institutions in a range of
large scale transformative work to team coaching and
strategic planning. Odysseas will contribute to the
designing and facilitating of the laboratories.
Anton Valkov is an Art of Hosting practitioner and local
coordinator of the Art of Hosting network in Bulgaria. He
works as a host, trainer and facilitator at Communication
Academy, and is owner of Open Space - an organisation
focused on transforming his local community. He hosts
strategic conversations and provides trainings around
participatory methods for business, education and nonprofit sectors. Anton will contribute to the designing and
facilitating of the laboratories.
Nick Rovakis is a Graphic Facilitator, Graphic designer and
Concept artist. His work includes the visual
communication and harvest of transformative work in
both social initiatives as well as business sector. Nikos will
be contributing to the harvesting by providing animations
of the main outputs of the laboratories, which will be
included in the Best Practices Manual.

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5. The Silver Lining

The European Union (EU) continues to be in a state of economic malaise following the financial
crisis that began in late 2008. The prolonged economic downturn is characterised by low or
stagnating levels of growth that have resulted in, and been exacerbated by consistently high rates of
unemployment among many of its Member States; average annual real GDP growth in the EU was
0.4% in 2012 and 0.1% in 20131, while the average unemployment rate in 2013 was the highest since
the EU was founded, at 10.8%2. The need to return the EU to healthy economic growth is of
immediate importance, and job creation is not only acknowledged as an outcome of growth but also
as a means to reinforcing the growth process in the mid- to long-term.
Innovation within the economy is recognised as a key driver of economic growth and
competitiveness, and originates both from the contributions of new market entrants in addition to
well-established larger enterprises. Newly established companies introduced to the market by
entrepreneurs (defined as those who seek out opportunities and through new ventures decide how
resources can be most effectively applied3) create new goods and services, or the means to
produce existing ones more efficiently. This can initiate new cycles of production and consumption
that in aggregate contribute to higher growth, while also creating more jobs. Thus, entrepreneurship
has a fundamental role to play if the EU is to become a true innovation union as part of its
Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan initiative.
The European Commission (EC) has recognised that when compared to its major competitors, such
as the US, the EU produces fewer entrepreneurs relative to its workforce4. This disproportionately
limits the opportunities for growth and employment creation, as new enterprises have been
identified as key to creating a job-rich recovery in Europe5. However, the lack of entrepreneurs is
not necessarily a consequence of formal economic structures it is also the result of underlying
social and cultural factors.
The desire to be self-employed rather than an employee in the EU is relatively low and has
decreased within the last 5 years6, though not only because of the economic conditions and
individual financial limitations. This situation is also compounded by the fact that Europe is generally
not known for having a strong base of entrepreneurs nor entrepreneurial success stories (relative to
the US), while formal education generally does not encourage individuals to become entrepreneurs

p.1, European Commission (2014) European Economic Forecast Winter 2014. Brussels: EC. Available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/european_economy/2014/pdf/ee2_en.pdf
2
p.35, European Commission (2014) Statistical Annex of European Economy Spring 2014. Brussels: EC. Available
at: http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/european_economy/2014/pdf/2014_05_05_stat_annex_en.pdf
3
p.4, ETF Indicators for Implementing Entrepreneurial Learning in HE: Improving the Evaluation Tool, Presentation
as part of EU Policies & Activities Regarding SMEs and Innovation (IM 32227), Cairo, Egypt, 7/12/2009.
Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/DocsRoom/documents/6381/attachments/1/translations/en/renditions/pdf
4
p.31-32, Amors, J.E. and Bosma, N. (2014) Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2013 Global Report. London:
Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. Available at: http://www.gemconsortium.org/docs/download/3106
5
p.27, European Commission (2013) Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan. Brussels: EC. Available at: http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2012:0795:FIN:EN:PDF
6
p.5, European Commission (2012) Flash Eurobarometer 354: Entrepreneurship In The EU And Beyond (Summary).
Brussels: EC. Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_354_sum_en.pdf; p.4, European Commission
(2013) Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan. Brussels: European Commission.

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either7. The lack of an entrepreneurial culture within Europe is a multi-faceted problem but
international examples suggest there is no permanent obstacle to achieving a favourable
environment for entrepreneurs.
At the policy level the EU has responded to this underachievement with the Entrepreneurship 2020
Action Plan, with the aim of facilitating the growth of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial activity in
Europe. The plan proposes actions under three main pillars encompassing (i) the provision of
education and training, (ii) the creation of a favourable environment for entrepreneurs, and (iii) the
inclusion of specific groups and use of role models. The Senior entrepreneurs: Best practice
exchanges project directly addresses the third objective of developing role models and reaching out
to specific groups, while also indirectly contributing to the other two pillars through related actions.
Supporting the transition of seniors to become entrepreneurs (or mentors to younger entrepreneurs)
presents an important segment for potentially increasing economic and innovation activity.
The proportion of the EU population over the age of 50 is increasing, and will continue to do so
over the next 50 years8. The working age of the population is also changing: between 1987 and 2011
the labour participation of EU citizens between the ages of 50 and 64 rose proportionally more than
any other comparable age demographic9. However, it is acknowledged that raising retirement ages
alone may not be sufficient to address both a growing old-age dependency ratio and foster the
continual innovation needed for growth.
A key issue in this regard is that, despite the demographic changes that are taking place, EU Member
State citizens over the age of 50 (henceforth seniors) remain under-represented in
entrepreneurship within the EU10. Thus the potential for increased entrepreneurial activity by this
group is significant. Moreover, seniors as entrepreneurs, or mentors to others involved in new
business, are beneficial to the EU economy and their involvement should be facilitated because:

There are a large number of retired or semi-retired citizens in good health who are highly
educated and experienced in their professional fields, and therefore could become
entrepreneurs themselves, or offer valuable assistance to other entrepreneurs.
With an increase in self-employment or prolonging ageing employees working careers
through self-employment generates added value to society, as well as an increased standard
of living. Profitable involvement in entrepreneurship can increase consumption and jobs
thus contributing to economic growth.

In addition to the socio-economic factors which necessitate increased entrepreneurial involvement,

there are circumstantial influences on seniors decisions to become entrepreneurs. These can be
categorised as either push or pull factors. Push factors can be seen as the negative circumstances

p.18-19, European Commission (2012) Flash Eurobarometer 354: Entrepreneurship In The EU And Beyond
(Summary). Brussels: EC. Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_354_sum_en.pdf
8
European Commission (2012) The 2012 Aging Report: Economic and budgetary projections for the 27 EU Member
States (2010-2060). Brussels: EC. Available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/european_economy/2012/pdf/ee-2012-2_en.pdf
9
p.6, European Commission and OECD (2012) Policy Brief on Senior Entrepreneurship; Entrepreneurial Activities
in Europe. Luxembourg: EC. Available at:
http://www.oecd.org/cfe/leed/EUEMP12A1201_Brochure_Entrepreneurial_Activities_EN_v7.0_accessible.pdf
10
p.22-24, European Commission (2013) Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan. Brussels: EC. Available at: http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2012:0795:FIN:EN:PDF

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that result in seniors becoming more inclined to take an entrepreneurship opportunity, while pull
factors are the potential positive outcomes of an opportunity that persuade a senior to take action.
Push factors include:

Unemployment or early retirement which can trigger entrepreneurial actions.

Insufficient savings with the prospects of a long retirement which require supplemented
income.

Pull factors include:

The potential financial rewards of entrepreneurial activity.

Increased life expectancy and improved health during senior years which allows for the
planning of longer more productive working lives.
New Information and communication technology (ICT) which allows for more time- and
location-flexible business management and administration. This allows business activity to
be more easily adapted to individual commitments and lifestyles.
Changes in family circumstances, such as no longer being responsible for younger
dependents, which allow for the pursuit of a lifelong passion or hobby.

Some of these pull factors can also act as limitations for senior entrepreneurs. For instance, having in
place national health insurance coverage can allow some seniors to move to full-time
entrepreneurial activity without the related adverse financial and health risks, though EU Member
State provision of such services varies. Similarly, while ICT can present opportunities, the lack of
uptake of these technologies among seniors is a significant issue in regards to both business
practices and support services. Also, despite records showing that seniors are less likely to fail when
starting a new business, when compared with younger entrepreneurs, seniors can find it harder to
achieve financing through facilities such as bank loans. Many policy makers and government
authorities across Europe still see the situation of ageing populations in terms of liability instead of
the real opportunity that it presents to introduce new economic models. For example, research
shows that older entrepreneurs are more likely to introduce products and services with applications
for social or environmental benefits, which will contribute positively to society overall.
Whilst senior entrepreneurial activity can be facilitated by providing support in the initial stages of
new business ventures, mentoring requires a different set of approaches. First of all, seniors as
mentors often fit the profile of a successful, independently wealthy retired or semi-retired
entrepreneur or executive. Furthermore, mentoring as an activity does not commonly occur
independently of support services and is usually a voluntary vocation; national views on voluntary
work differ greatly, thus uptake of services can be varied. However, there are a number of strong
reasons for the need to facilitate mentoring opportunities:

Seniors are highly experienced, often show good business judgment, for example are
financially prudent and conservative, and can provide valuable advice and insights to a
younger generation of entrepreneurs.
Mentoring exchanges do not arise naturally due to the competitive nature of the market exchanges between market agents are usually limited to those directly relating to business
transactions.
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Informal opportunities for communication on business issues between seniors and younger
entrepreneurs are infrequent because of social and cultural differences between the
different age groups. Seniors therefore present an exception to this norm.

Despite the number of experienced seniors who have the time for mentoring either through
retirement or flexible work arrangements, current senior mentoring activities are very few in
number in the EU. This indicates a lack of recognition by business support service providers of the
potential number of senior entrepreneurs available and the value they hold for new business
development.
Policies and business support services which aid seniors to become entrepreneurs or mentors rely
on successful outreach to target demographics. Although many existing business support services
may be applicable or adaptable, many traditional services do not recognise the potential of seniors
as clients, and therefore do not consider outreach to this demographic. This is because of the
stereotypical image of the young entrepreneur that partially defines outreach efforts, such as the
focus on recent graduates, youth-orientated language and discourse, and online activity that limits
engagement among seniors with lower ICT literacy.
There is a lot of untapped potential in the role of EU seniors both in terms of their direct
entrepreneurial activity and as mentors to junior entrepreneurs. In order to support this
development the current myriad of obstacles facing the entire involved stakeholder groups need to
be addressed and innovative policies and programmes introduced. All work should aim to reverse
the established thinking that seniors are a liability within the economy so that they are seen as a
new force for growth.

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6. Implementing Organisations
DEVELOPMENT Solutions (DS) is a UK consultancy which serves the
international donor and business community in delivering
sustainable development and sustainable investment projects. Our
expertise is in project design and management, research, policy and
regulatory analysis, and the delivery of capacity strengthening
projects. Training design requires a thorough needs assessment,
ensuring that formats are highly relevant to the local context and
build on the achievements of previous training programmes. Our activities are delivered through
seminars, training workshops, internships, study visits and policy studies. DS has established a strong
network of contacts in government authorities in Europe and third countries, industry groups, civil
society and academia and is well versed in the communication protocols to cooperate with these
networks. DS has a recognised expertise in state of the art visibility, communications and
dissemination campaigns.

In partnership with:
The International Longevity Centre-UK is the leading think tank on
longevity and demographic change. It is an independent, nonpartisan think-tank dedicated to addressing issues of longevity,
ageing and population change. ILC develops ideas, undertake
research and create a forum for debate.
Based in Westminster, much of our work is directed at the highest levels of government and the civil
service, both in London and Brussels. We have a reputation as a respected think tank which works,
often with key partner organisations, to inform important decision-making processes. We are aided
in this work by our Chief Executive, Baroness Sally Greengross, former director-general of Age
Concern and now a cross-bench peer.
Our policy remit is broad, and covers everything from pensions and financial planning, to health and
social care, housing design, and age discrimination. We work primarily with central government, but
also actively build relationships with local government, the private sector and relevant professional
and academic associations.

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7. Useful Web-links
A wealth of resources are available online relating to Senior Entrepreneurship within the EU, the
following list provides a comprehensive review of the sources available:
Senior Entrepreneurs, European Commission DG GROW:
http://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/promoting-entrepreneurship/we-work-for/seniors/index_en.htm

Senior Entrepreneurship
The Missing Million: Illuminating the employment challenges of the over 50s, The International
Longevity Centre UK:
http://www.ilcuk.org.uk/images/uploads/publication-pdfs/The_missing_millions_web.pdf
The Missing Million: Pathways back into employment, The International Longevity Centre UK:
http://www.ilcuk.org.uk/images/uploads/publication-pdfs/The_Missing_Million__Pathways_back_into_employment.pdf
The Missing Million: Recommendations for Action, The International Longevity Centre UK:
http://www.ilcuk.org.uk/images/uploads/publication-pdfs/The_Missing_Million__Recommendations_for_action.pdf
Elder People Learning to be Mentors for Young People, the Danish Lead Partner, VIA University
College: http://www.viauc.com/projects/hearme/Documents/HEAR%20ME%20guide.pdf
The Labour Market and Demographic Change in the Baltic Sea Region, Best Agers Project:
http://www.best-agers-project.eu/Portals/18/General_Best%20Agers_Final_121008.pdf

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8. Sample Evaluation Form

Evaluation Questionnaire
Seniors as Mentors Laboratory:
Best Practices Exchange
London, United Kingdom, 16 and 17 June 2015
The information that you provide will be used to assess the Seniors as Mentors laboratory delivered
under the Senior Entrepreneurs: Best Practices Exchange initiative. Please provide as much detail
as possible in your answers.

I. Technical Content and Best Practice Exchanges: Please indicate how well the
questions below correspond with your experience of the training. Please rate them on a scale of 1-5
(1= low, 5= high)
CONTENT AREAS

1. Knowledge gained:
1.1 Do you feel better able to understand the issues surround senior entrepreneurship, more
specifically seniors as mentors, after taking part in the best practice exchange?
2. Topics and Layout:
2.1 Were the topics and discussions well-structured and in line with the laboratory objectives?
2.2 Were the topics in the agenda laid out in a logical way for you?
3. Clarity of technical and information pack:
3.1 Was the information well explained and easy to understand?
3.2 Will this information be suitable for sharing with others?
4. Relevance of the Laboratory:
4.1 How likely are you to use the information gained from the laboratory in your current post?
4.2 How likely are you to share this information with colleagues?
5. Baseline Content:
5.1 Has the best practice exchange built upon areas you were already familiar with?
5.3 Has it introduced new concepts or topics?
6. Logistics and organisation:
6.1 Please rate the overall organisation of the laboratory.
6.2 Please rate the venue and meeting rooms where the laboratory took place.
6.3 Please rate the relevancy and organisation of the social event (dinner).
7. Overall Result:
7.1 How well did the laboratory correspond with your overall expectations?
7.2 Would you recommend colleagues to attend similar events?

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II. Feedback on Facilitators Please provide feedback on the facilitators in the fields
below. Try to include feedback answering the following questions, or any other points you consider
important:

Did the facilitator exhibit depth in technical knowledge of the topics?

Were the discussions moderated in an appropriate way?
Were questions answered in a clear and systematic way?

Please rate the facilitators on a scale of 1-5 (1= low, 5= high)

Jon Echanove
Facilitator
Helped to bring out new group ideas
Allowed sufficient discussion
Encouraged participation amongst
the group
Helped close out discussions
I would recommend him as a
facilitator
Any additional comments:

Anna Dimitrova
Facilitator
Helped to bring out new group ideas
Allowed sufficient discussion
Encouraged participation amongst
the group
Helped close out discussions
I would recommend her as a
facilitator
Any additional comments:

Odysseas Velentzas
Facilitator
Helped to bring out new group ideas
Allowed sufficient discussion
Encouraged participation amongst
the group
Helped close out discussions
I would recommend him as a
facilitator
Any additional comments:

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Anton Valkov
Facilitator
Helped to bring out new group ideas
Allowed sufficient discussion
Encouraged participation amongst
the group
Helped close out discussions
I would recommend him as a
facilitator
Any additional comments:

Nikos Rovakis
Facilitator / Graphic Designer
Helped to bring out new group ideas
Accurately portrayed ideas and
discussions visually
Overall content
I would recommend him as a
facilitator
Any additional comments:

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III. Additional Comments: Please make any additional comments on the laboratory in the
field below. The following areas should be considered:

Do you feel that all the topics were adequately covered? If not, please elaborate on which one(s) you
would have liked further information.
In the future what topics would you wish to have for further sharing and learning purposes?
Any further comments on the content evaluated in Parts I-II.
Any additional comments related to the venue, meeting room, catering, organisation, etc.

Thank you for your answers and we hope you enjoyed our best
practices exchange!

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