It’s estimated that 1.5 million additional jobs would be created in the EU Internet Economy, if the entire EU mirrors the entrepreneurship performance of the USA or Sweden. That’s why Europe’s ambition is to create new business opportunities through novel digital technologies to increase growth and create employment.

The main challenge facing entrepreneurs in Europe is not the lack of great ideas but the fear of turning ideas into reality. There are as many people wanting to start a business in Europe as there are in the USA, yet we see a significantly lower level of involvement in start-ups on this side of the Atlantic. Many people with great ideas are reluctant to embrace entrepreneurship because of their doubts.

That’s why the European Commission is launching the Watify platform to promote digital entrepreneurship by addressing these doubts, accelerating creation of up to 1.5 million jobs and unlocking the unexploited potential of value creation by going digital.

Watify will help entrepreneurs/intrapreneurs to overcome the barriers that prevent them from starting their own business. This initiative will help them to understand that every successful entrepreneur has had moments of doubt and that success begins to materialise the moment you start making your idea happen. The platform will also help established companies in all industry sectors by showing them that there are many opportunities to transform their business using technologies, taking away any of their doubts and stimulate them into taking action.

The Watify initiative will run throughout Europe for two years. The aim of the initiative is to foster digital entrepreneurship in Europe. The initiative offers inspiration, practical support and advice for entrepreneurs and existing businesses, helping them to fully realise the opportunities for both business growth and innovation by using digital technologies.

Visit the Watify platform to find out more about how this initiative can stimulate digital entrepreneurship in Europe.