CELL Asbl (the Centre for Ecological Learning Luxembourg) has announced the launch of a ground-breaking project, Boost Lokal Lëtzebuerg, the first international edition of the successful French programme Start-up de Territoire found across 15 territories of France.
This dynamic initiative based on citizen engagement and collective entrepreneurship enables ambitious solutions to be created in different territories, changing lives where we live, by drawing on everyone's talents. Five years after the launch of the first Start-up de Territoire in Strasbourg, 238 solutions have been launched, involving 3,840 people, and creating 411 jobs.
Building on this resounding success in France, Boost Lokal Lëtzebuerg is gearing up to make waves locally, kicking off with a pilot region centered around the canton of Capellen, located to the west of Luxembourg City.
From December 2023 to June 2025, the spotlight will be on the 13 municipalities of Bertrange, Dippach, Garnich, Habscht, Helperknapp, Käerjeng, Kehlen, Koerich, Kopstal, Mamer, Reckange-sur-Mess, Steinfort and Strassen. Residents of these communities will be called on to share their innovative ideas and collaborate on transformative projects with a positive economic impact that will redefine the local landscape. Renewable energy, sustainable food production, urban farms, digital access, shared housing, integration, and intergenerational connections are just some of the potential areas of focus.
Embracing the power of collective intelligence, Boost Lokal Lëtzebuerg will unfold in four dynamic phases. The journey begins with an "ideation" phase, where local issues and ingenious solutions are unearthed through a series of engaging workshops and events.
This builds up to the second phase, centred around a co-creation event in May 2024, where teams of citizens will tackle the key local issues, creating tangible solutions that promise to make a real impact. Following this, the teams will receive dedicated coaching and training from June 2024 to February 2025 to refine and implement their projects. Simultaneously, a series of events will weave vital connections between the projects and the wider community.
Boost Lokal Lëtzebuerg is not just a project; it is a movement aimed at bringing together a comprehensive network of local actors to make an impact. The initiative is committed to making citizen engagement accessible to all, involving a broad and diverse audience, and providing a place for everyone. It strives to accompany sustainable solutions that address essential needs and create local jobs, from the emergence of an idea to the establishment of an economic structure, and to accelerate projects. Additionally, Boost Lokal Lëtzebuerg places a strategic focus on collective entrepreneurship.
Led by a strategic team comprised of individuals linked to the entrepreneurial ecosystem, the project is supported by an ever-growing coalition of partners, including local authorities, businesses and actors within the social and solidarity economy—including nyuko, WIDE&co, ArtSquareLab, Co-Créateurs and LEADER Lëtzebuerg West—the initiative is set to redefine the collaborative landscape.
Organizations eager to learn more about the transformative potential of Boost Lokal Lëtzebuerg participated in the launch event aimed at partners and local municipalities, held on Wednesday 13 December 2023 at Solarwind in Windhof-Koerich.
