This personal invitation summarizes a 2-day workshop on incubating social innovation in Europe. The workshop will bring together thought and practice leaders in social innovation and business incubation from across Europe to share experiences, engage in creative dialogue, and identify actions to scale up social innovation for greater impact. A range of conversational methodologies will be used to inspire participants to share successes, identify new opportunities, and shape ideas into action. The workshop will be held on March 21-22, 2012 in Brussels.

1. Personal Invitation to a Workshop:
“How do we incubate
social innovation in Europe?”
Join us at this Social Innovation Europe network event where
thought and practice leaders in social innovation and business incubation will share
their experiences of growing social enterprising and its impact in Europe
21-22 March 2012 in Brussels
This workshop is convened by the European We are opting for a highly participatory format which
Commission (DGs Enterprise and Industry, and will allow us all to engage together in creative dialogue
Regional Policy in cooperation with the Young and bring innovative thinking to the table. We will work
Foundation). It brings together both thought and in an environment that will invite and support people
practice leaders in social innovation and business to come together and engage in meaningful
incubation from across Europe in order to move this conversation about what is important to you,
field forward and address crucial needs in Europe at discovering new insights, collective wisdom and action.
this time.
A range of conversational methodologies will be used
You are personally invited to this meeting because you so that you may participate, offering just enough
are active in social innovation and/or business structure without prescribing the outcome. These
incubation, and you can make an important methodologies will inspire people to share what has
contribution in scaling up this work for greater impact been successful, identify new potential and shape this
and job creation as part of the EU’s Vision 2020. into action.
OUR PROGRAMME REGISTRATION
Wednesday 21 March Please register at http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/
14:00 Welcome, Purpose and Framing the Day policies/innovation/policy/social-innovation/
14:20 Introductions: connecting to each other index_en.htm before March 1st.
15:10 Identifying Incubation Good Practices
16:00 Break The workshop will take place at The Hub Brussels, 37
16:20 The Landscape as we see it Rue du Prince Royal, 1050 Brussels (Ixelles). Please see
17:45 Interaction & drinks venue details here: http://brussels.the-hub.net.
Thursday 22 March
9:30 Welcome, Framing the Day The workshop opens at 14.00 on Wednesday 21 March
10:00 Stepping into Possibility: the longer term view and closes at 16.00 on Thursday 22 March. This is an
13:00 Lunch informal gathering and so we invite you to dress
14:00 Levers for Change: identifying actions needed informally. Transport and accommodation
15:30 Check-out and Closing Reflection arrangements are your own. For more details, please
16:00 Departures contact Henriette van Eijl, Henriette.VAN-
Please note: English will be the working language and no EIJL@ec.europa.eu or Xavier Le Mounier, Xavier.LE-
translation will be provided. MOUNIER@ec.europa.eu