Startup 50+
Experience and Networks as Factors for Success
The cross-border INTERREG project “Startup 50+” sent a strong message in support of lifelong entrepreneurship. The project’s goal was to help people aged 50 and older turn their many years of professional experience into successful business ideas and to make the transition to self-employment easier. At the same time, networking events and intergenerational partnerships created an environment that promotes lifelong entrepreneurship and the transfer of knowledge between generations.
Benefiting from Professional Experience When Starting a Business
Recent studies show that startups founded by older people are significantly more successful than those founded by younger entrepreneurs. Nevertheless, societal prejudices and the lack of suitable conditions often prevent many promising business ideas from older people from being realized. Startup 50+ specifically addressed this potential and created the conditions necessary for innovative business ideas with market potential to be implemented. The project has shown that entrepreneurial success does not depend on age, but rather on experience, expertise, and a strong network. Many people develop their best business ideas only after years in the workforce.
Development of Concrete Support Measures
As part of the project, a guide specifically for starting a business after age fifty was developed, containing practical tips, recommendations, and examples to ensure that older individuals are well-prepared to launch a business. In addition, a cross-national training program for advisors was offered to address the specific needs of entrepreneurs aged 50 and older. This training program consisted of seven modules covering soft skills and technical expertise, designed to provide the best possible support and advice to entrepreneurs aged 50 and older on their path to self-employment.
A public awareness campaign helped break down common prejudices regarding the age of entrepreneurs and promoted a positive image of lifelong entrepreneurship. Furthermore, two pilot projects were launched that specifically targeted entrepreneurs over 50:
- “Train & Net”
These were networking events that, in addition to imparting technical skills relevant to starting a business, focused primarily on fostering exchange and building new networks with experienced entrepreneurs. - “Intergenerational Tandem”
Entrepreneurs were paired with young students so that both sides could learn from and benefit from each other.
Sustainable Added Value for the Region
The Startup 50+ project made an important contribution to strengthening regional innovation and cross-border cooperation between Austria and Slovenia. In particular, the project helped
- highlighting the entrepreneurial potential of the 50+ generation,
- dispel prejudices against starting a business later in life,
- connect experienced entrepreneurs with older founders and initiate the exchange of knowledge,
- promote intergenerational collaboration, and
- strengthen Styria as a business location through new entrepreneurial initiatives.
Particularly valuable in this context was the combination of diverse skills and perspectives across national borders. Experience, innovation, and mutual exchange gave rise to a network that will endure even beyond the project’s duration.
The Startup 50+ project has clearly demonstrated the innovation potential of baby boomers and Generation X. Professional experience, technical expertise, and established networks form a strong foundation for successfully implementing business ideas and sustaining a long-term presence in the market.
The project was implemented from 2023 to 2026 by the following lead partners from Austria and Slovenia:
The Styrian Economic Development Agency (SFG) acted as a strategic partner alongside other stakeholders, thereby helping to ensure that, in the future, more people over the age of 50 will be encouraged to realize their business vision and take the leap into self-employment.
