Who’s supporting us
Supporting Organizations
To develop our project, we involved freelance economy experts, organisations and associations working in the freelance world.
We strongly believe that it is necessary to build a strong network of professionals at the European level and to capitalise on what is already being done for freelancers, in order not to waste resources but rather to increase together the impact we can have on the future of the Freelance Economy.
ACTA
Italy
ACTA is the first association set up in Italy to represent professionals in the “advanced tertiary sector”, who are self-employed: trainers, researchers, computer scientists, creative people and other categories of consultants, generally operating outside professional orders and registers, all of whom have in common that they address clients who are companies or Public Administration bodies.
ACTA was founded in 2004 on the initiative of a group of professionals; it is independent of political representation systems and aims to fill a gap in the system of representation of the world of work. We believe that the existing trade unions and employers’ associations cannot represent our interests as well, both because their target groups are others – whose objectives may also collide with ours – and because we propose new ways of representation. Our proposals are not part of a corporatist logic, but are mainly demands for fairness, for reforms that aim at the elimination of discrimination or the extension of rights that should be universal.
We are concerned with the major issues of Welfare (very high social security contributions, higher than those of employees, but exclusion from the system of protections and very low pensions), Taxation (higher taxation of employees and companies and unnecessarily oppressive instruments) and Rights (labour law is today only “employee law”; there is no compulsoriness in the stipulation of contracts; the rule on payment times is not respected, etc.).
More generally, we are interested in finding new ways to support professional work in an increasingly difficult market situation, which struggles to recognise skills, to valorise knowledge and professionalism, to protect creativity and innovation, and to support the creation of networks and aggregations among professionals that favour their competitive strengthening.
MANUELA LOMBARDI BORGIA
Italy
I work in Business Design and Innovation. I am a Business Mentor and Strategic Advisor: I guide brands in innovating their business model and designing the best project for their idea. Together we work on mindset and energy mastery, identify the best strategy to grow and scale over time and define priority objectives to act quickly and flexibly.
I passionately studied and apply Design Thinking, Job to be Done and business modelling. I am also a Mentor Expert at Polihub, the incubator and accelerator of Politecnico di Milano, where I support future Mentors in the hands-on Lab with start-ups. The innovation I love is not limited to solving problems, but aims to propose new visions and meaningful opportunities: a non-performative, inside-out innovation, which focuses on excellence, leveraging talent and optimising resources. I combine the business design approach with intuitive creativity tools to help entrepreneurs and teams create inspired and meaningful projects. Over the past 7 years, I have supervised several start-ups and entrepreneurial projects in digital. My corporate experience of more than 25 years, which I concluded as a corporate executive at Olivetti, has trained me in complexity, team management, in an international, ever-changing environment.
I believe in progress and I am convinced that human dignity is only restored to us through the rediscovery of consciousness: for this reason, over time I have integrated my training as a business designer with skills in personal growth, neuroscience, and transformative alchemy, and I am training as a Gestalt-inspired coach. My leadership style is collaborative and participative: I believe in multidisciplinarity, continuous training, and experimentation. I am a visionary: my mission is to inspire and coach a new class of leaders to complexity. The future is already here, let’s redesign it together.
SHETECH
Italy
SheTech is the non-profit organisation established with the aim of bridging the gender gap and supporting women in the world of technology and digital, through networking events, training workshops and professional opportunities. SheTech is a community of more than 1,000 members who work or want to enter the digital and tech sectors, 93% of whom are women and the rest men; allies who believe in the mission of making these sectors increasingly meritocratic and inclusive, also thanks to the support of companies and other associations and communities. The organised activities are divided into:
- A digital platform and in-person networking events to connect community members and their experiences and skills, also thanks to a mentorship programme;
- Tech training, to bring women closer to the world of technology (from machine learning to data science), to train them through coding bootcamps, and to bring younger generations closer to and passionate about STEM subjects;
- Training on soft and digital skills with a series of practical courses on topics such as leadership, negotiation, public speaking, professional storytelling and personal branding;
- Role modelling activities to eliminate gender stereotypes, enhance role models in the sector and inspire more women by supporting them in their growth.
LE SPEZIE GENTILI
Italy
I am Valeria Farina and I am a Business Mentor. My work experience started in a multinational company: I spent fifteen years dealing with people, work and professional growth. I started out in human resources and then moved on to marketing and events and finally worked in welfare as an engagement manager dealing with devising and planning events and initiatives to make my colleagues happy and satisfied.
In those years smartworking was emerging and within me there was a desire to really change the concept of work by making it flexible and adaptable to the individual characteristics of individuals. On March 21st 2016, I left the company and opened my VAT number to devote myself to my project: Le Spezie Gentili. A community of women united by the desire to dedicate themselves to their own growth and well-being, a place first physical then virtual in which to grow, compare notes, evolve. A space in which to feel free to express themselves and experiment.
My job is to accompany women who are going through a moment of professional change; I help them to find clarity in the confusion they feel overwhelmed by. I believe that each of us has her own definition of success and that is the direction to follow, because only respect for who we really are can lead us to fulfilment.
PROFIL CULTURA
Italy
In the dynamism of the professionalisation of the field of culture and with a view to evolving methods of disseminating opportunities, ProfilCultura aims to address several challenges:
- Propose an effective and responsive tool that enables the connection between culture professionals and recruiters in the field,
- To foster interaction between different cultural sectors through the mobility of professionals,
- Contribute to greater transparency in cultural employment,
- Offer a dissemination service that takes into account the specificities of the sector with rates adapted to all types of structures.
ProfilCultura aims to meet the diverse recruitment needs in the public and private cultural sector in Italy.
ProfilCultura analyses the market and employment trends in the field of culture, assisting the sector’s structures in their recruitment phases.
By intervening in the selection process, we adapt our methodology, means and intervention methods to the specificities and requirements of each structure. ProfilCultura team of consultants comes from the world of culture and possesses complementary skills that are indispensable for the effective resolution of different recruitment needs.
FLOWERISTA
Italy
Flowerista is a digital platform offering subscription based training and personalised consulting for new and expanding creative businesses as well as a more corporate focused service.
Flowerista is inspired by the intelligence of plants – from which the company takes its name – and applies it to the digital world. Using a widespread leadership model and a community of people motivated by shared values, we promote gentleness and 360° sustainability in business.
Sara Malaguti, company founder and digital strategist, began the Flowerista.it blog in 2017. In 2018, she worked on growing the Community which now counts more than 18,000 followers on Instagram. Flowerista became a fully fledged breakthrough startup and benefit corporation in April 2022 with the goal of contributing to the development of an economy that serves both people and the environment. In February 2023, we launched a Local Ambassadors network and in March we presented the results of the first permanent Observatory of Italian creative industries with Prof. Camillo, University of Bologna.
The team of 14 is constantly expanding as are the services we offer; in only one year we have supported more than 170 brands.
RARR
Poland
Rzeszowska Agencja Rozwoju Regionalnego S.A. is a public institution which brings together and mobilises the potential of local communities, providing support for people from various sectors.
The mission of RARR S.A. is to support the development of Podkarpackie voivodeship, improve the quality and standard of life of its inhabitants, promote the region, including its unique natural landscape, and promote the image of Podkarpackie voivodeship as a modern, innovative and economically developed region. RARR S.A. is one of the key regional institutions supporting the social, economic and technological development of Podkarpackie voivodeship, as well as significantly influencing national and international development in these areas by implementing various initiatives and projects.
FREELANCE NETWORK
Italiy
Freelance Network Italia, together is better…
Founded as an association of journalists, today Freelance Network Italia groups independent freelancers who deal mainly with communication.
Within our network you will find: journalists, copywriters, media relations specialists, trainers, event planners, storytellers, photo editors.
Despite our different skills and professional backgrounds, we have one value in common that we put above everything else: we believe in freelance work and networking to achieve professional goals together.
Our motto, not surprisingly, is “Together is better!”.
ERGAZOMENOS
Greece
Our platform is a cutting-edge job listing website designed to seamlessly connect job seekers with their dream opportunities and assist employers in finding the perfect candidates. We understand that the job search journey can be both exciting and challenging. That’s why we have curated a userfriendly interface that empowers job seekers to explore a diverse range of industries, roles and locations. Our extensive database of job listings spans from entrylevel positions to executive roles, catering to individuals at every stage of their career.
For jobseekers, our platform offers:
- Comprehensive Listings for job seekers to discover a wide array of job openings across various sectors, ensuring they never miss a chance in their desired field.
- Customizable Searches in order to filter search based on location, job type, experience level and more, to narrow down the perfect fit.
- User Profiles that showcase candidate skills, experience/portfolio and accomplishments.
- Application Tracking through which applications, interviews and interactions with potential employers are gathered in an all in one convenient dashboard.
Employers and recruiters will find our platform equally beneficial with:
- Targeted Recruitment by accessing a pool of candidates through posting job listings that accurately reflect every company’s requirements.
- Efficient Screening allowing them to streamline the hiring process by reviewing candidate profiles, resumes and portfolios all in one central location.
- Candidate Management by organizing and communicating with potential hires, scheduling interviews and making informed decisions with ease.
- Enhanced Visibility allowing companies to showcase their culture and values to attract top tier talents.
FREELANCE BUSINESS COMMUNITY
Belgium
The Freelance Business Community is a supportive and collaborative platform designed to bring together entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, freelancers, independent professionals, and self-employed individuals. It aims to address the feeling of running a business alone by providing a space where like-minded professionals can connect, share knowledge, and foster meaningful relationships within the freelance economy.
At its core, the Freelance Business Community seeks to empower freelancers and provide them with opportunities to grow both personally and professionally. The community offers a range of resources, events, trainings, and masterclasses tailored to the unique needs of freelancers.
In essence, the Freelance Business Community serves as a virtual hub where freelancers can find not just professional development opportunities but also a sense of community and belonging. It strives to eliminate the isolation that many freelancers experience and offers a vibrant ecosystem that promotes growth, collaboration, and the collective success of its members in the dynamic world of freelancing.
MEUS
Spain
MEUS is a private organization based in Valencia, Spain, aimed at bettering people´s and professionals’ capacities in their environment, both at professional and private levels. Thus, it focuses on the skills development of individuals at each stage of their life, from school to adult education. MEUS works with entrepreneurs, freelancers and start-ups.
In line with the European strategy related to education, MEUS works on the development of new training materials and methodologies adapted to different target and market needs, so improving the integration in the labour market. MEUS is an expert in new learning methods, based on participative and collaborative ways of learning. Our training activities rely on experiential training and learning by doing, intending to keep the learners alert so that they can entertainingly learn new competencies. MEUS largely exploit gamification, developing challenges that trainees need to overcome individually or as teams.
ASOCIACIÓN VALENCIA INNO HUB
Spain
Valencia Inno Hub is a Spanish non-profit organization born with the objective of putting together talent, technology, as well as personal and professional development. It aims is to through actions supporting an innovative and technology creation environment, together with a special focus on business development, career guidance and entrepreneurship.
Inno Hub believes in the necessity of change in the economic model in order to create a more competitive and value-adding economy, facilitating the necessary tools for our companies and individuals, and in this support of young people to make sure said change is perpetuated in time.
By mentoring and training Inno Hub wants to generate a positive social impact. Inno Hub supports young people, adults, entrepreneurs and freelancers by empowering them and building their entrepreneurial and self-employment skills in order to achieve their socio-economic inclusion.
MY CAREER CANVAS
Italy
My Career Canvas is a groundbreaking, inclusive platform that allows individuals to take control of their professional lives and reach their full potential, regardless of status, age, knowledge, or background.
Our Canvas design has been registered at EUIPO. The platform offers a transformative experience through various tests, exercises, and networking opportunities within our community. Providing an honest picture of career possibilities helps them make informed choices.
My Career Canvas is a versatile tool that can support gender-neutral career path assessment and help attract and retain talent in organisations and associations. It can be used for career guidance as freelancer, career plan development for employee, and also candidate selection and profiling.
My career Canvas has been developed by Michela Luoni and Selvaggia Fagioli.
Michela is an agile consultant helping companies improve their efficiency and productivity. As a Digital Facilitator, she supports those struggling to keep up with the technological evolution by providing training on digital issues and communication strategies on LinkedIn.
Selvaggia is a strategy consultant and helps startup founders define their business models and prepare for investment. She is also a member of Angels4Women, an Italian business angel association that invests in high-growth startups led by women. Her work focuses on increasing diversity in founding teams and investment.