All successful entrepreneurial universities have one thing in common; students’ capacity to invent new things. A successful institution can transform these ideas into thriving businesses, but the spark of new ideas must come first. The approach requires a culture of innovation in the institution and the participation of graduate students in research activities.

The Energy Transition Entrepreneurs in Action (ETEIA) project will help strengthen this vital aspect of university culture. The project aims to encourage students’ activity in research during their graduate course, supported by the most successful professors and entrepreneurs as mentors, and followed by start-up experience. This, together with the support of industrial partners, produces the true synergy force of research, management, and industry that supports young entrepreneurs.

AGH University of Science and Technology has been applying these principles as a member of the European Space University for Earth and Humanity (UNIVERSEH), developed and implemented under the Erasmus+ programme. The goal of UNIVERSEH is to align skills development in higher education with the future needs of the labour market. The alliance has already acquired extensive contacts with industry, and intends to fulfil the market and industrial recruitment needs of jobs in the space sector. Synergies are expected between project teams.

The project’s key objective is to create an inviting environment for young entrepreneurs working in resource management, energy technologies, and the circular economy, as well as students interested in transforming their ideas into successful businesses.

The specific objectives include:

• increasing innovation and entrepreneurial capacity;
• creation of a mentoring programme for students and staff;
• creation of a system to support the transfer of knowledge from education to business;
• strengthening cooperation between universities and industrial partners;
• exchange of experiences in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship between partners;
• development of knowledge and competencies of students, academic and non-academic staff.

In order to fulfil the objectives of the ETEIA project, courses, workshops, and other activities aimed at increasing the innovation and entrepreneurial capacity of universities have been prepared, bringing together higher education institutions in innovation value chains and ecosystems across Europe. To achieve the intended goals, the project has been prepared in accordance with the principle of balanced development and is based on the knowledge triangle, so that the goals related to the development of innovation and entrepreneurship are achieved in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the project, and also after the project ends.