The Erasmus+ project SELF – Solo Entrepreneurs Learning Framework, co-funded by the European Union, is pleased to announce the publication of a new collection of European case studies developed within Work Package 3 (WP3) of the project.

The case studies represent an important component of the SELF educational framework and were developed with the objective of providing learners, educators, and aspiring solo entrepreneurs with practical and inspirational examples of self-employment pathways, entrepreneurial initiative, and independent professional development across different European contexts.

By complementing the project’s training modules with real-life entrepreneurial experiences, the SELF consortium aims to make entrepreneurial education more accessible, concrete, and relatable for Higher Education students and young people interested in solo-entrepreneurship opportunities.

The published case studies explore a wide range of professional experiences and entrepreneurial journeys connected to:

• freelancing; 
• digital entrepreneurship; 
• creative industries; 
• innovation-driven self-employment; 
• independent consultancy; 
• and emerging forms of solo-business development. 

Particular attention was given to showcasing:

• different entrepreneurial profiles; 
• diverse educational and professional backgrounds; 
• challenges faced by young entrepreneurs; 
• strategies for resilience and adaptability; 
• and practical lessons learned from real entrepreneurial experiences. 

The SELF consortium believes that exposure to authentic entrepreneurial stories can play an essential role in:

• strengthening entrepreneurial confidence; 
• reducing perceived barriers to self-employment; 
• encouraging initiative and creativity; 
• and helping learners better understand the realities of solo entrepreneurship in contemporary labour markets. 

The case studies were collected and structured to support both individual learning and educational use within Higher Education and entrepreneurial training environments. They can therefore be used as:

• discussion materials; 
• inspirational learning resources; 
• practical teaching examples; 
• and supporting content for entrepreneurship education activities. 

In line with the project’s commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, all case studies are available:

• in open-access format; 
• free of charge; 
• and in multilingual versions 

through the SELF online platform.

The adoption of an Open Educational Resources (OER) approach ensures that the materials can be freely accessed, reused, and shared by learners, educators, practitioners, and institutions across Europe and beyond.

The publication of the SELF case studies further reinforces the project’s mission to promote entrepreneurial learning, self-employment opportunities, and future-oriented employability pathways among young people and Higher Education communities.

All case studies developed within the SELF project are available through the official project platform: https://www.solobiz.eu/training.php?lang=EN#cs

The SELF project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.