Kees Brinkmans & Erika Meyer - Erasmus entrepreneurs

Success stories

Recent testimonies of successful business networking - Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme

This is merely a selection of our success stories.
Want to see more testimonies? Use our search function »

 







New entrepreneur:
Kees Brinkmans (Netherlands)
Age: 21
Company name: Impact Mails (Start-up)
Sector of activity: Community, social and personal services


Thanks to the EYE program I was able to kickstart my business and turn it from a rough idea into a profitable company that adds value to society. Without the program this would not have been possible. Thank you!


Host entrepreneur:
Erika Meyer (Spain)
Age: 37
Company name: Espacio Geranios (10 years of experience)
Sector of activity: Community, social and personal services

We are so grateful to the EYE program for connecting us with young talent willing to share their insights and expertise to better our business. We also love accompanying young entrepreneurs on their journey and sharing our experience and lessons learned with them! Thank you!


Period of exchange: 02/2023 until 05/2023
Duration of exchange: 3

 

Results and benefits

 

€ 4400 turnover increase (NE)
1 new job created
2 new countries reached
20 new contacts
Social economy/responsible entrepreneurship

 

Kees Brinkmans, a 21-year-old social entrepreneur from the Netherlands participated in the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs (EYE) programme to strengthen his business Impact Mails which supports social entrepreneurs through marketing. While searching for funding opportunities, he discovered EYE and saw it as a unique way to gain mentorship and international experience. He was hosted by Erika Meyer, an experienced entrepreneur managing Espacio Geranios, a coworking and social innovation hub in Madrid. Erika joined the programme again after a successful prior experience seeking new perspectives to enhance community engagement and marketing within her centre. Their shared interest in social entrepreneurship created an ideal match for mutual learning and growth.

Over three months Kees and Erika worked side by side at Espacio Geranios collaborating on marketing community building and social entrepreneurship initiatives. They regularly exchanged feedback on business models and marketing strategies, co-organized networking events and conducted a hands-on SEO workshop that improved both their online visibility. Kees contributed fresh ideas on digital outreach and business development, while Erika shared her experience in managing coworking spaces and fostering social innovation. Their partnership was dynamic and based on open dialogue mutual respect and shared motivation to grow professionally and personally.

The exchange led to tangible results for both entrepreneurs. Kees secured his first paying customer, achieved his first profitable month and built valuable connections within Madrid’s social entrepreneurship ecosystem. He also refined his marketing strategy and digital skills particularly in SEO and community engagement. Erika benefited from Kees’s innovative approach to communication and his support in improving her centre’s marketing strategy. Beyond measurable outcomes, their collaboration created long-term prospects for continued cooperation and reinforced the power of cross-border learning through the EYE programme.



For more information, please contact the local contact points involved in the exchange:

New entrepreneur's contact point:
Quarter Mediation (Utrecht, Netherlands)

Host entrepreneur's contact point:
CAMARA OFICIAL DE COMERCIO, INDUSTRIA, SERVIZOS E NAVIGACION DE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (Santiago De Compostela, Spain)

« Back to the overview