Your first days: A practical guide to thriving on the EU|BIC Community

Ready to get the most out of the platform? Follow this concrete roadmap to set yourself and your team up for success—starting today.

Welcome. Here’s your Map.

You’ve just joined the EU|BIC Community. You’ve probably logged in, looked around, and maybe thought:

“Okay, where do I even start?“

That’s a great question. And you’re not alone.

The platform is full of possibilities—hubs to join, trainings to take, peers to meet, opportunities to explore. But when you first log in, it can feel a little overwhelming.

This guide is designed to solve that. Over the next 30 days, you’ll progress through four phases of engagement. Each phase builds on the last. By Day 30, you’ll have moved from “I just joined” to “I’m an active, connected member of a community that’s advancing my work.”

The best part? You only need to spend 15–30 minutes per day. Let’s go.

Join the EU|BIC Community now

Week 1: foundation – building your base

Think of Week 1 as laying the groundwork. You’re setting up your profile, exploring the landscape, and getting familiar with how the platform works. This week is about observation and setup, not yet about heavy participation.

Day 1: Profile Setup (15 minutes)

Log in and go to your profile settings
Upload a professional photo (a headshot is ideal)
Write a clear, 2–3 sentence bio that tells other members who you are and what you do:
Example: “I run a tech accelerator in [City] – [Organisation name] focused on [sector]. I’m passionate about [your area]. I’m here to connect with peers doing similar work and explore new partnership opportunities.”
List 2–3 areas of interest

Why this matters: Your profile is how other members discover you and decide whether to reach out to you. A complete profile gets 5x more connection requests than a blank one.

Day 2: Explore Your Community (20 minutes)

Navigate to the Community section, look at the available pages
Spend 10 minutes scrolling through recent posts and discussions

What to look for:

Active discussions (how many posts? how recent?)
Who are the active voices and leaders in your hubs?
Bookmark or save 1–2 posts that interest you

Why this matters: Hubs are where you’ll find peers focused on the same challenges you’re facing. These become valuable sources of insight and potential collaborators.

Day 3: Visit the Academy (20 minutes each day)

Go to the Academy section
Browse the available trainings and guides
Look for one training or guide that addresses a current challenge your organisation faces
Bookmark it or add it to your “to-do” list

Example questions to guide your search:

What’s the biggest challenge your team is facing right now? (Is there a training on that?)
What’s one skill you’d like to develop? (Is there a guide or course on that?)
What’s a topic you’ve heard mentioned but don’t fully understand? (Can you find a resource on it?)

Why this matters: The Academy is where the platform’s learning power lives. Finding relevant content early means you’ll get value quickly.

Day 5: Check out the co-creating (30 minutes)

Start thinking about what you would like to do.
Run for an international project? Find consortia partners?
Do you have a company ready to go abroad? Looking for local help?
We are happy to help! Go to members – hosts and start a conversation with one of us

Why this matters:

End-of-Week Checkpoint:

By the end of Week 1, you should have:

A complete profile that others can find and connect with
Explored at least one of our community hubs
Bookmarked a training or guide relevant to your work
Started co-creating

Week 2: Exploration – Finding Your People

Week 2 is about making your first connections and starting to contribute. You’re moving from observer to participant.

Day 1: Reach Out to One Peer (15 minutes)

Look through recent posts in your regional or thematic hub
Find someone whose comment or post resonates with you
Send them a direct message:
Example: “Hi [name], I saw your post about [topic]. I’m facing a similar challenge at my organisation. Would you be open to a quick call to swap notes? I think we could learn from each other.”

Why this matters: Making peer connections is the core value of the platform. One good connection can lead to collaboration, learning, and friendship.

Tip: Don’t be shy. Most people on the platform are here specifically because they want to connect with peers like you.

Day 2: Make Your First Post (10 minutes)

Write a simple introduction post:
Example: “Hi everyone, I’m [name] from [ESO]. This is my first week in the community. My organisation focuses on [area]. I’m particularly interested in [topic]. Happy to connect and learn from all of you.”

Why this matters: Your first post doesn’t need to be profound. It just needs to be genuine and inviting. It helps others know you’re here and opens the door for connections.

Day 3: Start Exploring Collaboration Opportunities (20 minutes)

Navigate to the Co-Create section
Browse current calls, tenders, and consortium opportunities
Save 1–2 that could be relevant to your work in the coming months

Questions to ask yourself:

Are there funding calls that align with my organisation’s mission?
Are there consortia being formed that I could contribute to or lead?
Are there partners here who could help me pursue a specific goal?

Why this matters: Even if you’re not ready to act immediately, understanding what opportunities exist helps you think strategically about partnerships and growth.

Days 4: Engage in Real Conversations and ask a specific question (15 minutes each)

Find a post or discussion that interests you (in your hub or someone else’s recent activity)
Write a thoughtful comment or reaction:
Ask a genuine question
Share a relevant experience
Offer encouragement or insight if you have something to contribute

Good comments to make:

“Great question. I faced something similar and here’s what we did…”
“This is really helpful. Can you say more about [specific aspect]?”
“I hadn’t thought about it that way. Thanks for sharing your perspective.”

Why this matters: Engagement builds relationships and reputation. The more you genuinely engage, the more you become part of the community.

Days 5: Invite a Colleague (15 minutes)

Tell a colleague or team member about the platform
Invite them to join
Show them one feature you found most valuable so far (e.g., a hub, a training, a peer you met)

Why this matters: Bringing your team into the community amplifies the value for everyone. Peer connections multiply when there are multiple people from your organisation participating.

End-of-Week Checkpoint:

By the end of Week 2, you should have:

Made at least one meaningful peer connection
Posted an introduction and started participating
Begun learning through the Academy
Engaged genuinely in at least 2–3 community conversations
Started spreading the word to your team

What we would like to see after your first experiences

We want you to sustain the momentum you’ve built and begin positioning yourself as a contributor to the community’s success.

Actively Participate in Co-Create (20 minutes per day)

Post an opportunity: Share a call, tender, or partnership opportunity relevant to your network
Respond to an opportunity: Join a consortium being formed or explore a specific call with interested partners
Start a consortium: Identify 2–3 peers and propose a collaboration for an opportunity you’ve found

Template for starting a consortium:

“I’ve identified an interesting [call/opportunity] that could be perfect for a consortium. It focuses on [area]. I’m looking for 2–3 strong partners, particularly from [regions/sectors]. Interested? Let’s schedule a call to explore.”

Why this matters: This is where the platform’s value really shines. Co-creation isn’t theoretical—it’s practical, real-world collaboration.

Bring Your Team Deeper (15 minutes)

If you’ve already invited colleagues, now show them the full value:
Help them complete their profiles
Introduce them to 1–2 specific people or hubs
Enrol them in an Academy training relevant to their role

Why this matters: Team engagement amplifies your impact and embeds the platform into your organisational culture.

Give Back (15 minutes)

Find someone newer to the platform
Offer help – connect with them:
Answer a question they posted
Welcome them to your hub
Share a resource you found valuable

Why this matters: Helping others creates a culture of generosity and positions you as a leader in the community.

Set Your Goals (20 minutes)

Reflect on what you want to achieve in your next quarter on the platform:
Collaboration goals (e.g., “Lead one consortium,” “Build three deep partnerships”)
Learning goals (e.g., “Complete 2 Academy tracks,” “Present one methodology at a hub meetup”)
Contribution goals (e.g., “Help 5 peers,” “Host one discussion or webinar”)

Write these down:

Post them in your hub or share with a peer (accountability is powerful)
Review them monthly

Why this matters: Goal-setting turns a one-time activity into sustained engagement. It helps you keep leveraging the platform for real growth.

This Is Your Platform Now

You might have joined the EU|BIC Community, thinking, “I’ll check it out. Might be useful.”

Now, you’re not just a member. You’re connected to a global network of peers. You’re actively learning and implementing new ideas. You’ve probably had at least one breakthrough conversation with someone who gets what you’re trying to do. You might even be exploring a collaboration that could change your trajectory.

That’s not because the platform did something to you. It’s because you did something on the platform.

You showed up. You engaged. You gave. You learned. You connected.

The EU|BIC Community is only as strong as the people in it. And now, you’re one of them.