Six incredible initiatives received European-wide recognition for their efforts to champion entrepreneurship and promote small enterprises during the finale of the European Enterprise Awards during the SME Assembly 2024. 

Silicon Vilstal, a social economy cluster from Germany, connects social enterprises with local businesses to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation in rural areas. Through creative workshops and real-world testing of innovative products, Silicon Vilstal helps entrepreneurs develop social innovations, bring them to the market and showcase and refine their projects.

We spoke to Helmut Ramsauer about what winning the competition's first category, 'Promoting the Entrepreneurial Spirit,' meant to him and the organisation.

What was it like to win an EEPA prize? Can you describe the feeling and what it means for you and your project?

Silicon Vilstal has been engaged in European activities and programs for years. Winning the EEPA prize feels like reaching a major stopover in this journey, encouraging us to increase our efforts.

Why should others consider participating in EEPA 2025? What advice would you give to other enterprise and entrepreneurship promoters?

EEPA is a great opportunity to connect with the European entrepreneurship ecosystem. It was our second participation in the EEPA competition after being in Germany's top ten in Germany in 2018. We would advise others to participate and, despite the outcome, keep going.

In general, we call on all entrepreneurship promoters to foster collaboration between entrepreneurs and society.

Describe what EEPA means to you by giving us three words.

Encouragement – Credibility - Pride

Watch the moment when Silicon Vilstal was announced as the winner during in Budapest!