Empowering Future Entrepreneurs: Developing an Online Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program Across Diverse EU Regions

The 2023 European Innovation Scoreboard reveals that there is an innovation asymmetry between different EU regions which is leading to an innovation gap. In particular southern and eastern EU countries showcase a lower level of innovation compared to their northern and western counterparts. Addressing this disparity, the ENTRPRENEDU project, funded by the European Union, pioneers a unique approach tailored for emerging and moderate innovation regions. This paper presents the development process of the curriculum for the ENTRPRENEDU online mentoring program, detailing the demand analysis, curriculum development, and implementation phases. This paper contributes to the discourse on entrepreneurial online education and mentoring program development by showcasing a tailored approach to curriculum design. The findings offer practical insights for educators, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to nurture entrepreneurship and innovation in diverse regional contexts.