Success stories

New entrepreneur:
Giuseppe Giorgio Surace (Italy)
Age: 25
Company name: E-sports academy (Start-up)
Sector of activity: Education and training services

Host entrepreneur:
David Casanova Ronco (Spain)
Age: 28
Company website
Sector of activity: Construction sector and real estate

Giuseppe Surace is 25 years old and comes from Italy. During his studies in business administration and marketing &communication, he developed a strong interest in entrepreneurship. His idea was to open an e-sports school in his city. Inspired by his life-changing Erasmus experience in Spain in 2019, Giuseppe decided to participate in the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme, which offered him the opportunity to travel to another country, accompany an entrepreneur and learn from their knowledge. David Casanova Ronco is 28 years old and comes from Spain. He studied business administration in Zaragoza. During his bachelor's degree, he decided to do an Erasmus programme in Ireland. During this time, he faced several challenges as an international student, including difficulties finding accommodation due to physical, social and language barriers. Motivated by his own experiences, David decided to start his own business in 2019 to address this issue. The EYE programme provided him with an excellent opportunity to connect with international people and gain first-hand knowledge of foreign markets. David and Giuseppe committed to a 13-week exchange in Zaragoza.

One of Giuseppe's main tasks was to help develop the digital strategy, as ErasmusPlay is an online platform to help students find accommodation. Giuseppe arrived in Zaragoza in mid-November and contributed to many areas of David's business, ErasmusPlay, from the beginning of the exchange. On the one hand, Giuseppe contributed to the development of the platform's digitalisation and marketing strategy, thanks to his studies in Marketing and Communication. He collaborated on the strategy for the launch of APP and also made online reservations through it. He also created content for social media and prepared marketing strategies. In market analysis, he compared the Italian market with the Spanish market, contacted potential customers and improved customer service relations. David used Giuseppe's support to expand his network for ErasmusPlay and make new international connections with Italian universities, which is very valuable for his business. In return, Giuseppe received valuable advice and practical knowledge for his business idea. He developed an entrepreneurial mindset, observed different leadership styles, learned team management and acquired skills in risk management and problem solving. This experience deepened his understanding of entrepreneurship and equipped him with the necessary knowledge to confidently tackle his future business project.

In the end, David and Giuseppe were so satisfied with the experience that they will continue to work together in the future. Based on market research, Giuseppe understood the competitors' markets and gained knowledge about current technologies used in the market. He also learned how to develop quality marketing strategies and what content to post on social media. Now he feels more confident when it comes to targeting potential customers and building long-term relationships. Giuseppe's contribution to ErasmusPlay was valuable in that David received ideas on how to improve processes such as onboarding and marketing and increase efficiency, as well as new ideas on how to attract new clients and improve sales strategies. In addition, the exchange was a perfect opportunity to expand his network of contacts and attract potential clients in Italy. Through networking and building contacts during the programme, Giuseppe was able to establish contacts with over 20 Italian universities. As a result, these universities have now become advocates of the platform and recommend it to their Erasmus students. This increased awareness and support from prestigious institutions has contributed significantly to the growth and success of the platform. Meanwhile, the new entrepreneur learned more about potential risks and problems associated with entrepreneurship and tried to manage and solve them so that he could avoid them while building his e-sports company, thanks to David.

For more information, please contact the local contact points involved in the exchange:

New entrepreneur's contact point:
Associazione Artigiani E Piccole Imprese Mestre Cgia (Venezia Mestre, Italy)

Host entrepreneur's contact point:
CAMARA OFICIAL DE COMERCIO E INDUSTRIA DE NAVARRA (Pamplona, Spain)

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