The CONNECT consortium opened its work with a two‑day meeting in Essen at the beginning of March. Participants began with a welcome and an overview of the project’s vision, objectives and the work‑packages that will guide the projects implementation.
The discussion then moved to the core activities that will shape the early project: mapping regional ecosystems, identifying gaps, co‑creating a joint strategy and establishing a Community of Practice. These set the foundation for a coordinated approach to supporting migrant entrepreneurs across the region and the further project activities.
In the second half of the workshop the group defined the governance structure, clarified roles and responsibilities and agreed on a communication plan to ensure consistent visibility. A detailed timeline was drawn up, tasks were allocated to the relevant partners and a schedule for upcoming online and face‑to‑face meetings was established.
The kick‑off concluded with a clear, shared road‑map and a strong commitment to move quickly from planning to concrete actions that will build inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems throughout the CONNECT territory.