This document describes a project to improve communication and entrepreneurship between European cultures. It will involve an online contest for youth ages 18-27 on topics like entrepreneurship and research. Participants will be formed into international teams to work virtually. Finalists will then attend a three-day conference in Bucharest to present their projects, attend workshops, and networking events. The goal is to help youth develop skills for future careers by learning to work cross-culturally online and gain exposure to European business opportunities.

1. Connect. Create
Project
Improve communication and entrepreneurial spirit
between cultures across Europe.
Location: Bucharest, Romania
Organization board: 25 persons
Attendees: Opened to any interested party
Coordinated by Iulia Davidoiu, Romania

2. The Big Picture
Web Platform
• Online contest on the following topics :
Entrepreneurship, Research Papers
(culture/econonomy), Videos, Fotobooks,
How to Guides.
• Participants: youth from all EU countries,
aged 18-27, in teams of 3-4 persons.
• Participants will be randomly chosen as
teams (from different countries) without
knowing each other. (After being qualified
based on CV and motivational letter).
• This will give them the opportunity to
learn how to work in newly formed virtual
teams to deliver professional projects +
networking+ possible future partnerships
across Europe + valuable knowledge
(economy, culture, new media tools).
EU Conference
• A EU regional conference to last 3
days and include the following:
• The finalists from each category (3
teams/ category) will pitch their
ideas in front of the jury, investors,
professional s, organizations and
other participants
• Workshops with the jury members
(each being representative for at
least one contest category)
• Keynotes from personalities with
careers in Business, Design, Social
Media, Researchers
• Award gala for best project in each
category and the grand winner

3. Overview
Features- Contest Platform
• Online platform will include: overview of
each section (guideline), resources for
inspiration, URL’s to online tools that
could help the participants (Skype,
WebEx, Slideshare, Infographic, E-book
templates, PowerPoint templates, etc.).
• Newspapers embedded in the website
(the economist, start-up, financial times,
cultural newspapers) or there will be a
feed box.
• Tips & tricks section updated every week
• Judges will post brief articles on subjects
they consider relevant for the
competition.
• The conference will bring valuable
information for youths focused on
building a strong career through their
skills and hard work.
• Will also create the perfect environment
for networking at a European Level,
finding funds for startups and scholarships
in different domains .
Why participate?
• Participants will gain precious knowledge
and skills in :
 Working in virtual teams across Europe
 Foreign cultures and how other nations do
business
 European markets
 New media tools (SEO)
 How to build a business plan/research
paper
 Social intelligence
 Novel and adaptive thinking
• As highlighted in this article:
http://www.challengefuture.org/news/531

4. Agenda
Contest
• Enrollment of participants (CV
+motivational letter/ sample portfolio).
• Defining the teams and start the race for
the most creative and innovative project.
• Projects are presented on the platform
and within all the social media tools
possible in order to gather the highest
numbers of votes.
• Jury selects the finalists based on project
relevance, innovation, votes received.
• Finalists are announced and prepare to
meet up at the conference for the final
pitch.
Conference
• 3 days
• 15 teams
• 6 jury members
• 6 influential speakers
• 2 workshops
• Up to 1000 attendees
• 1 Grand Prize winner
• Overall prizes may consist of :
scholarships, internships, funding,
vouchers for courses, books.
And the most important prize:
Youth Empowerment!

5. The point
What’s in it for me?
• Develop the 10 skills of future
workforce .
• Gain the necessary experience to
enter in the workforce field with best
premises.
• Find friends, business partners,
universities, all a young professional
would need to build the basis of a
successful career.
• Have fun while exploring the endless
possibilities to reach the top.
Highlights for Participants
• Work and developed relationships
with complete strangers across
Europe to achieve a common goal.
• Meet important professionals,
learned from them, gain a chance to
prove their skills.
• Meet angel investors, crowd funding
platforms representatives(learn how
it works), university teachers and
representatives, ONGs and other
influential persons.
• Maintain and highlight cultural
inheritance as it interacts with the
business world.

7. What skills do youths lack?
Romania
• Communication skills
• Resistance to change
• Fear of the unknown
• Lack of motivation/ curiosity
• Lack of new media skills/ ability to
work in virtual teams or within
multiple cultures
Europe
• Uncertainty in regards to career, one’s
place and chances in the workforce field
• Lack of decision-making skills while
encountering so many possibilities
• Lack of information, young professionals
can lose important chances because of
this
• Reluctance to stepping out of one’s
comfort zone

8. Contest and Conference
How do they contribute?
• By encouraging the participants to face the unknown (to find themselves in a
team with total strangers and having to develop a brilliant and innovative idea for
the contest, all by getting to know each other and working together through
online media and social tools. When they are not in the same country, they will
have to make use of all available tools in order to reach an efficient method of
communication and team working).
• This method will have a high impact on future professionals when working in
multinational companies or future entrepreneurs that desire to reach a wider
target-market and gain a good understanding of the Europe economy in terms of
consumer preferences.
• The whole process will also prepare young high school graduates to face the
European University experience, the competition that found the start in a
successful career while away from the comfort of home.

9. Connect. Create