Starters Valley
Starters Valley is a project of Smile to the Future. The project provides an all-inclusive co-working, training and events platform for various ages, social and professional groups in the Maastricht region. This should allow start-ups to develop not only themselves, but also to realize their entrepreneurial ideas, existing companies or voluntary organizations to their full potential.
The project aims to create an open community in which cooperation and socio-cultural projects are central. It will provide a platform for individuals to become self-employed and thus reduce unemployment and create jobs. The project also aims to involve different groups such as artists, single parents, young people and older people through co -working; offering mentoring, training, and various events throughout the year to increase the well-being and self-development of start-ups and their organizations. Through partnerships with local and international businesses and organisations, Starters Valley will be able to offer entrepreneurs a wealth of advice and inspiration through regular workshops and events. All of this will take place in a prime city centre location on the Vrijtof where entrepreneurs can access a co-working space and private offices, with easy access to business amenities. The building will also provide a social space for entrepreneurs, a board room and a commercial café.
The Starters Valley project has been inspired by the success of a similar Smile to the Future initiative in Nyeri, Kenya and Maastricht’s position as the city with the second most start-up businesses in the Netherlands. Maastricht accounts for 800 start-ups a year. Since 2009 the city has experienced remarkable growth in the number of start-up businesses and in a period of just 3 years, Maastricht has jumped from being the 40th most developed place in the Netherlands to the 6th. However, not all start-ups are successful and with the initial stages being the most difficult, there is still a high demand for business advice and skill provision for start-ups in this region.
If you would like more information about the Starters Valley project or if you would like to apply for a co-working space or private office, then please get in touch…