Success Story – Extending Impact Beyond the Pilot Phase Area Through International Participation
Context
TRIANGLE was conceived as a collaborative initiative to strengthen entrepreneurship education and mentoring through higher education institutions (HEIs) and industry partners. During its pilot phase, the project primarily targeted participants from the consortium countries, focusing on testing and refining its co-designed Training and Mentorship Programme. The objective was to validate a shared approach to entrepreneurship education that combined academic expertise with real-world entrepreneurial experience.
However, entrepreneurship is inherently global. Innovation challenges, startup development, and entrepreneurial ambitions increasingly transcend national borders. From the outset, TRIANGLE’s partners recognised that the relevance and long-term sustainability of the programme would depend on its ability to resonate across different geographic, economic, and institutional contexts.
The Challenge
The main challenge was extending the project’s reach beyond its initial pilot geography without compromising quality, coordination, or resource constraints. Entrepreneurship ecosystems differ significantly across countries, particularly between well-established innovation hubs and under-served regions where access to structured entrepreneurship education and mentoring remains limited. Engaging international participants required overcoming barriers related to outreach, visibility, cultural diversity, and the adaptability of the programme’s content and delivery format.
Another challenge was ensuring inclusivity. While many international entrepreneurship programmes tend to attract participants from already well-connected regions, TRIANGLE aimed to address gaps in access and reach individuals and startups that are often excluded from structured support systems.
Actions Taken
To address these challenges, TRIANGLE adopted an open and inclusive participation strategy. Training and mentoring activities were designed to be accessible beyond national boundaries, supported by online delivery formats and flexible engagement mechanisms. Partners actively disseminated programme opportunities through international networks, academic collaborations, and professional contacts, ensuring broad visibility.
The mentorship programme, in particular, played a key role. Mentors from different countries were invited to contribute their expertise, bringing diverse perspectives on business development, scaling strategies, and market entry. This international mentor pool not only enriched the learning experience but also signalled TRIANGLE’s openness to cross-border collaboration.
A defining action was the inclusion of a startup from Pakistan, a country where structured entrepreneurship support remains relatively underdeveloped. By enrolling this startup in the mentorship programme, TRIANGLE demonstrated its commitment to inclusivity and its willingness to engage with under-served regions. The programme was adapted where necessary to ensure relevance to different market contexts, while maintaining a consistent quality standard.
Results Achieved
Through these actions, TRIANGLE successfully attracted participants from 15 different countries during Phase 1. This international participation exceeded initial expectations and confirmed strong global interest in the project’s approach to entrepreneurship education and mentoring.
The presence of international participants and mentors transformed the learning environment into a truly cross-cultural experience. Discussions were enriched by diverse perspectives, and participants gained insights into different entrepreneurial ecosystems, regulatory environments, and market dynamics. The Pakistani startup, in particular, benefited from access to expertise and networks that would otherwise have been difficult to reach, while also contributing unique insights into entrepreneurship in emerging markets.
Impact and Outcomes
The extension of TRIANGLE’s reach beyond the pilot phase area significantly increased the project’s international impact. It validated the scalability and transferability of the training and mentorship model and demonstrated that co-designed, HEI-led entrepreneurship programmes can effectively address global skills gaps.
This success has long-term implications. It positions TRIANGLE as a model for inclusive, internationally relevant entrepreneurship education and strengthens the consortium’s capacity to attract diverse participants in future phases. Most importantly, it reinforces the idea that entrepreneurship education should not be limited by geography but designed to empower innovators wherever they are.
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