Project results in this Horizon Europe call are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:
- New scientific evidence of how bottom-up social entrepreneurship shapes and contributes to the co-creation of neighbourhoods in line with the values of the New European Bauhaus.
- Inhabitants (including marginalised and vulnerable groups) and civil society actors share knowledge and experiences and have the capacity to cooperate and engage in bottom-up social entrepreneurship.
- Bottom-up social entrepreneurship increases inhabitants’ quality of life and well-being, fosters social cohesion, and creates new economic impulses and employment opportunities in neighbourhoods.
Scope:
Bottom-up social entrepreneurship can act as a key driver of sustainable and inclusive neighbourhood co-creation in line with the values of the New European Bauhaus. Bottom-up social entrepreneurship leverages local expertise to tackle local social and environmental challenges. It can generate local economic value, create new and inclusive employment opportunities, leverage cultural and creative industries, and address the segregation of different community and civil society groups, including marginalised and vulnerable inhabitants.
Research is required on the various aspects of using bottom-up social entrepreneurship for the co-creation of neighbourhoods.
Proposals are expected to address all of the following:
- Deliver at least 3 bottom-up social entrepreneurship pilots in at least 3 Member States or Associated Countries to explore how bottom-up social entrepreneurship can shape and contribute to the co-creation of neighbourhoods in line with the values of the New European Bauhaus[3].
- Analyse for each pilot the local social, cultural, economic, financial, regulatory, and legal barriers and drivers and how they can shape the market uptake and competitiveness of bottom-up social enterprises and initiatives.
- Assess for each pilot the business case and the potential for bottom-up social entrepreneurship to create impact and attract (impact) investment opportunities.
- Demonstrate how cooperations between inhabitants and civil society actors can foster the exchange of knowledge and experiences and build their capacity to engage in bottom-up social entrepreneurship. These cooperations should take into consideration place-based specificities and be grounded in strong public-private partnerships including grassroots neighbourhoods associations, public authorities, local businesses, and the social economy, etc.
- Demonstrate how bottom-up social entrepreneurship can increase the quality of life and well-being of inhabitants, strengthen social cohesion, and foster a shared sense of belonging in neighbourhoods.
- Assess how the above may impact future co-creation and decision-making in the development of neighbourhoods in line with the New European Bauhaus.
Proposals are expected to follow a participatory and transdisciplinary approach through the integration of different actors (such as public authorities, local actors from the targeted neighbourhoods, including from the social economy and civil society, investors etc.) and disciplines (such as architecture or design, arts, business, economics, finance, etc.).
Opening date: 06 May 2025
Deadline for applications: 12 November 2025 17:00:00 Brussels time