Today’s public sector faces a dual challenge: fostering an entrepreneurial mindset while strengthening digital competences. The ENTREPUBL project supports this transformation by empowering public employees with the skills and mindset needed to innovate, adapt, and deliver better services for all.

Our Policy Recommendation Paper addresses the key barriers to embedding entrepreneurship in public administration. While challenges vary between national contexts, a common need emerges across Europe: more agile, innovative, and resilient public services.

This paper explains why entrepreneurial competences matter in the public sector — and outlines what can be done to build them. Backed by consultations with over 30 policy makers and enriched by local case studies, it provides concrete and practical recommendations, including:

• Fostering a culture of initiative and creativity within institutions

• Building entrepreneurial and digital skills through targeted training

• Encouraging cross-sector collaboration to drive systemic change

Whether you’re a policy maker, public sector leader or VET provider, this paper offers a clear and actionable roadmap to support meaningful institutional change.

The paper is available in seven languages to ensure local relevance and broad accessibility:
English, French, Italian, Romanian, Greek, Slovak, and Dutch.

Download now and explore how you can help shape a more innovative and future-ready public sector.

• Resistance to Digital Tools: Preference for traditional methods hinders digital adoption.
• Lack of Time for Training: Heavy workloads leave little time for professional development.
• Underutilisation of Entrepreneurial Skills: Existing training seldom covers innovative, entrepreneurial methods.
• Reluctance to Adopt Entrepreneurial Thinking: Scepticism limits acceptance of entrepreneurial approaches.
• Lack of Support for Initiatives and Ideas: Employee initiatives often fail due to poor integration and lack of long-term support.
• Hierarchical Rigidity: Strict structures restrict experimentation and collaboration.
• Limited Institutional Frameworks and Cultural Barriers: Confining norms hinder risk-taking and creativity.
• Missed Opportunities for Best Practices: Proven innovations are not systematically integrated.

• Entrepreneurial Culture as a Foundation: A strong entrepreneurial culture is essential for socio-economic development, as it fosters innovation and drives growth.
• Community Engagement and Capacity Building: Involving local communities in entrepreneurial activities strengthens both individual and collective capacity, promoting growth that meets local needs.
• Support Mechanisms for Innovation: Structures such as incubation programmes, training frameworks, and mentoring are key to transforming innovative ideas into sustainable projects.
• Entrepreneurial Leadership: Shifting from traditional bureaucracy to a focus on innovation and agility enhances institutional responsiveness and efficient resource management.
• Integration of Entrepreneurial Thinking: Entrepreneurial thinking, supported by education and digital tools, aligns public resource management with community needs and improves transparency.
• Social Entrepreneurship for Trust Building: Social entrepreneurship effectively addresses social issues while increasing public trust and engagement.
• Collaboration Between Public and Private Sectors: Effective partnerships between public institutions and private stakeholders leverage collective strengths to foster innovation and drive urban renewal.
• Digital Transformation as a Catalyst: Adopting digital tools and infrastructure enhances civic engagement, streamlines services, and sustains local economies.

Public sector employees will gain essential entrepreneurial and digital skills, improving service delivery, job satisfaction, and adaptability to challenges.

Departments will have clear digital transformation strategies, improving resource allocation, minimising waste, and ensuring cohesive modernisation across the public sector.

Public sector teams will have the opportunity to test and refine new digital tools in a low-risk environment, fostering innovation and improving outcomes before full-scale implementation.

Collaborative, interdisciplinary teams will develop holistic solutions to complex public sector challenges, breaking down silos and improving efficiency.

Public sector employees will be incentivised to innovate within their roles, leading to a culture of ownership and creative problem-solving.

Stronger collaboration between public and private sectors will drive innovative, sustainable solutions to large-scale projects and improve service delivery.

Public sector leaders will cultivate entrepreneurial thinking and change leadership skills, driving transformation and inspiring innovation in their teams.

Public sector organisations will share best practices and lessons learned, accelerating innovation and improving policy effectiveness.

Continuous feedback from citizens and employees will help refine policies and services, enhancing responsiveness and building public trust.

Collaborative initiatives between public, private, non-profit, and academic sectors will generate innovative solutions to societal challenges, promoting sustainability and addressing complex issues.