Press Room

Here you will find the reactions from the press on our activities, our press releases and interesting other press releases...

13th June 2008
Europe's 500 European Growth Summit Press Release
Europe's 500, the top European growth entrepreneurs, met for the third time in Barcelona

19th March 2008
Europe's 500 Patent Press Release:
European Business Leaders Call for a Simplified Patent Process to Drive Innovation

12th July 2007
The Wall Street Journal 12 July 2007 Opinion Ed by Declan Ganley:  Paging Mr. Sarkozy (PDF, 288KB)
For the article on the website of the Wall Street Journal please click here

18th May 2007
European Growth Summit 2007 - press release
SperoNews May 21, 2007  "Globalization and the myth of collapsing borders"
Blogwonks May, 2007 "Expert says Brazil could meet world's gas needs"
Biopact May 21, 2007 "Brazilian biofuels can meet world's total gasoline needs -expert"
mensnewsdaily May 22, 2007 "Experts says Brazil could meet world's gas needs"
RenewAmerica May 22, 2007 "Experts says Brazil could meet world's gas needs"

25th November 2006
Europe's 500 Roundtable with Prof. Danuta Hübner, EU Commissioner Regional Policy
Award Ceremony at the Hofburg in Vienna
Press Release 26th November 2006 (German PDF,120 KB)

October 2006
Results from the Listing 2006
Austrian PressRelease_Oct06

CEO-CF Leader Appointed to Board of Europe’s 500:
David Darsch, an “entrepreneur’s entrepreneur”  (PDF, Emglish)

August 2006
Who's Who: Europe's 500 - Excelling Entrepreneurs (PDF, German)

July 2006 Going Asia: The Growth Professionals (PDF 7,7 MB, English, German, Chinese, French)

  June 19th, 2006
Interview with Martin Schoeller, President of Europe's 500 printed in "Dnevnik" (PDF)

ICC Volume II, May 2004
"Improving Wages":  Martin Schoeller, President of Europe's 500 on Fair Wages (PDF)

March 22nd, 2006
Online News Service NeueNachricht:  Family owned enterprises better than many DAX companies (PDF in German)

December 8, 2005
Growth Policy Summary:  Growth Policy Summary Document (PDF - 300kb)

December 8th, 2005
Europe's 500 European Round Table for Growth in Brussels:

 
More information...

Novemer 19th, 2005
The Summit of Europe's Top 500 Growth Entrepreneurs set priorities for EU growth policy
Austria receives a Special Award more: Conference 05 Summary and Tony Blair Letter of Support

October 13th 2005
Europe's Top 500 growth companies 2005 
Press release: Larger mid-size companies contribute to growth in Europe (14% annual growth and 130.000 jobs)

Extensive coverage of the Europe's 500 award in BusinessWeek The article presents the top 100 companies in Europe 2004, with detailed descriptions of the enterprises and their successes

June 22nd, 2005
BAYERNS BEST 50 SUEDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG
Press coverage  of the BB50 award

June 15th, 2005
BAYERNS BEST 50
Press release from Martin Schoeller, President of Europe's 500 for the BAYERNS BEST 50 award

May 2005
ICCFairWages ICC International Chamber of Commerce, UK Guide to Global Corporate Social Responsibility, Volume III May 2005 about our Fair Wages initiative

August 26th, 2004
Handelsblatt-Schroeder
The german chancellor Schroeder demands a new credit system for medium-sized businesses

August 26th, 2004
Handelsblatt-2
The Kfw offers altenative financing  

August 26th, 2004
Die Zeit260804
New credit ratings ruin German medium-sized businesses

Januray 17th, 2005, Brussels:
Eurobarometer poll: Why are EU citizens less keen to start up their own business than in the US?

Although 45% of Europeans would like to be their own boss, Americans, at 61%, are more keen to try entrepreneurship. Why are Europeans less keen to “have a go”? What are the obstacles in Europe - real or imagined - that help explain why 59% of Europeans have never even considered setting up a business, let alone achieved such a dream? The results of a Eurobarometer survey illustrate why Europeans consider setting up an enterprise and why not. A regular income is the main motivation for those Europeans who would rather retain their employee status, 30% of respondents citing this reason in our survey as opposed to only 16% of Americans. Job stability is also considered important by 24% in the EU25 compared with only 10% in the USA. Fear of failure also preoccupies Europeans. Half of the Europeans asked agreed that they would not set up a business if it is likely to fail, compared with only one-third of Americans. However the figures vary widely between Member States.

“Entrepreneurs are the economic DNA which we need to build competitiveness and innovation in Europe.” says Enterprise and Industry Commissioner Gunter Verheugen. “Entrepreneurship can be exciting and rewarding, but it also involves risks and hard work. It is the challenge for Member States and the Commission to ensure that entrepreneurship is encouraged by providing a supportive environment for those choosing to take the risks. Therefore, boosting entrepreneurship will be a core element in our forthcoming initiatives to improve the competitiveness of European economy.”

Nevertheless the survey found that one-third of EU citizens would still consider setting up a business in the next 5 years; 40% in the new Member States. Evidently for some the potential rewards outweigh these risks, and the survey illustrates that the most crucial rewards are not necessarily financial. 77% of Europeans who stated a preference for entrepreneurship cited greater independence and self-fulfilment as an important motivation. This contrasts with only 23% who cited increased earning power.

Just do it
How easy is it for the potential entrepreneur to achieve his or her dream? The Eurobarometer survey shows that the order of importance of perceived obstacles to setting up a business is fairly similar in Europe and the USA; however their magnitude is more marked in Europe. Lack of available financial support still ranks as the single most important factor on both continents, though with considerable variations between European countries.

What creates business success?
Once established, Americans and Europeans agree that the most important factor for the success of a business is good management. However, Americans see good ideas and good leadership as the next most crucial factors. Europeans, particularly those in the new Member States, believe that external factors, such as the economic and political context, have a far greater influence.

More information on

Flash Eurobarometer on Entrepreneurship, 2004
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/enterprise_policy/survey/eurobarometer83.htm

Entrepreneurship Action Plan
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/entrepreneurship/action_plan.htm

7th December 2004, Paris
Champions of Growth Awarded at Europe's 500 Awards Ceremony in Paris

CEOs, founders and key senior management from amongst five hundred of the fastest growing European companies were recognised tonight for their outstanding contribution to employment, during the prestigious Europe's 500 Awards Dinner in Paris.

Together, the high growth companies that qualified for the 2004 Europe's 500 Listing, created more than 120.000 jobs across Europe in three of the most economically challenging years. This represents on average 81 new jobs per company per year (more than one new job per week, per year over three years). These companies managed to sustain growth across diverse business sectors at an impressive annual rate of 15% in both employment and sales. “The Europe's 500 Listing shows that high growth is not dependant on industry sector but rather is created by entrepreneurial-driven companies who seize opportunity, take risk and motivate their staff to succeed. Europe needs more of these champions of growth,” commented Martin Schoeller, President of Europe’s Entrepreneurs for Growth, during the Awards Ceremony.

Five Europe’s 500 champions of growth were honoured with Special Awards: Option NV from Belgium was the winner of the ‘Most Innovative Use of IT’ presented by Microsoft; Pharmexx Sales & Marketing Intelligence GmbH from Germany was recognized for their ‘Excellence in Financing Growth’ presented by 3i; CCCzorg B.V. from Netherlands was awarded the ‘Best Communications Use in Growth’ presented by Weber Shandwick; Espotting Media from UK was honoured as the ‘Fastest Growing Tech Company’ by PricewaterhouseCoopers and New Wave Group AB from Sweden was congratulated by the Boston Consulting Group for its ‘Entrepreneurial Value Creation’.

These five Special Award winners joined CEOs from across Europe as they were honoured and congratulated for their companies’ remarkable growth performance which earned them a ranking amongst the 2004 Europe ’s 500 Champions of Growth. 

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14th October 2004, Brussels (Belgium)
Europe's 500 Pan-European Ranking shows that Growth Entrepreneurs Boast Remarkable Employment Creation
More than one new job per week per year over the last three years

Five hundred of Europe’s most dynamic, entrepreneurial-driven companies have managed to sustain growth, boosting employment and sales at an impressive average annual rate of 15%, since the year 2000. Despite the challenging business environment, these champions of growth have created more than 120,000 jobs across Europe. They have continued to drive employment creating an average of 81 new jobs per year, more than one new job per week per year during three of the most difficult economic years in the last half decade. These were some of the key findings in the 2004 pan-European ranking Europe 's 500, announced in Brussels today by 3i, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Microsoft and the Boston Consulting Group.

The listing is intended to focus attention on entrepreneurial achievement and fast-growth European companies. Its focus on job creation and growth in medium-sized enterprises is unique and distinguishes it from other business rankings. The 2004 Europe's 500 Listing analyses company performance over three fiscal year, from end December 2000 to end December 2003. The research suggests that the worst of the slowdown is behind these companies. Many managed to create almost double the number of jobs in 2003 compared to the combined earlier period of 2001 and 2002.

The Europe 's 500 job creation ranking was first introduced in 1996 to highlight the type of companies that grow fast, the ‘gazelles’ or champions of growth that create employment. Much government policy in Europe focuses on SMEs (small to medium size enterprises) who tend to stay small (often not growing beyond approximately 250 employees). Whereas the Europe 's 500 entrepreneurial-driven companies grow impressively and quickly, creating an average of between 80 -130 jobs a year, over at least a 3-year period. As they grow larger, they continue to sustain this rapid growth creating jobs for thousands of employees across Europe and across all industry sectors.

It is noticeable from the 2004 Europe 's 500 however that the profile of fast growing companies has changed slightly, probably due to the economic restraints of the 21 st century. There are less smaller companies and older industry dominates the ranking.

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July 2004, Munich (Germany)
Munich (Germany) on Credit Squeeze Constrains German Growth 
Small and medium sized enterprises most strongly hit

On behalf of Europe’s 500 Entrepreneurs for Growth, the European association for Growth Entrepreneurs, 1100 German-based entrepreneurs from the construction, retail and services sectors have been interviewed by the Ifo Institute Munich on the issue of Investment and Financing. The unequivocal result is the following: almost 50% of the interviewed managers would invest more, i.e. catch up on postponed investments, if financing was obtainable.

Medium-sized entrepreneurs, who account for around 80% of the job market, have reduced their investments in the past few years. The delayed investments represent on average around 15% of the annual turnover of the surveyed entrepreneurs, corresponding to around 5% of gross GDP.

Higher readiness to invest among firms with less than 200 employees and in the services sector 

57.2% of the interviewed entrepreneurs with no more than 199 employees would invest immediately if financing was more easily available. More than one half of the interviewed entrepreneurs in the services, industry and retail sectors would invest more under better financing conditions. In the construction sector, 46.5% of managers responded similarly.

Investment cuts of around 15% of annual turnover 

More than one half of all interviewed entrepreneurs reduced their investment by an amount equivalent to approximately 15% of their turnover. In firms with fewer than 200 employees, 58% of respondents reduced their investment by this amount, and in the services sector, 65%. Only in the retail and construction sectors is the decrease in investment not greater than 10% of the turnover.

New Financing Model of Europe’s 500 Entrepreneurs for Growth

Resolving the financing problem could lead to - spread over a year – additional growth of up to 5% of gross GDP. This substantiates the proposal by Europe’s 500 for a guarantee / insurance system for SME credits that would cover the risk costs.

“Since economic growth is essentially driven by small and medium-sized businesses, and less by big firms, this finance bottleneck is the main reason for the stagnation of growth in Germany”, says Martin Schoeller, President of Europe’s 500 Entrepreneurs for Growth. It is nevertheless particularly encouraging to see that our concept is supported by roughly 50% of all SME entrepreneurs, and thanks to this support, if this idea were to be implemented, this would have an immediate, tangible impact on growth rates in Germany.

See Europe's 500 Entrepreneurs for Growth and IFO Institute Press Releases in German language:

Association Press Release

IFO Institute Press Release

See published articles in German language:

Article from Zeit on Growth Financing Presentation

Article G. Schroeder in Handelsblatt

Article W. Clement KfW

Contact

Eva Prinzhorn, PR for Europe’s 500 Entrepreneurs for Growth

Tel: 00 49/176 22211134

E-mail: Martin.Schoeller@schoeller.org
 

23rd June 2004, Munich

BAYERNS BEST 50 Honours Leading Bavarian Entrepreneurs

For more information, please contact Petra Stadler, Office Martin Schoeller at petra.stadler@schoeller.org

6th May 2004, Leiden (Netherlands)
'Entrepreneurship, Choice for Life'

Bert Twaalfhoven, Board Member of Europe's 500 Entrepreneurs for Growth, delivered a speech in Leiden on 6th May to 300 students from all over Europe. The speech, entitled 'Entrepreneurship, choice for life', formed part of the Conference for League Universities organised by Bright Europe initiative.

On a related note, a survey conducted by European Foundation for Entrepreneurship Research (EFER) started this week. The survey will cover 350 academic institutions and will seek to identify prevailing trends in entrepreneurship education. Europe's 500 Entrepreneurs for Growth will publish research results on its website.

5th April 2004, Munich

Europe’s 500 Entrepreneurs for Growth presents an Innovative Financing Concept for Growth Companies 

For the first time, government aid without distortion of competition is made possible! "This innovative financing concept enables profitable growth by adequate risk reward fees for governmental collateral providers without distortion of competition" said Martin Schoeller, new President

Martin Schoeller Elected New President Presents an Innovative Concept for Growth Financing

With the beginning of his presidency with the association Europe’s 500 Entrepreneurs for Growth Martin Schoeller, Schoeller Group, presented a new innovative concept for growth financing of small and medium sized companies. The aim is to finally resolve the conflict between government aid and distortion of competition and at the same time to remove a big hurdle for growth companies. The concept will be presented for the first time at the annual Handelsblatt Forum on May 5/6, 2004 in Frankfurt.   

Erkki Liikanen, EU Commissioner for Enterprise and Information Society, welcomes the Concept
Europe’s 500 Entrepreneurs for Growth, the association for fast growing companies in Europe, has developed a financing concept that closes the gap between bank loan and venture capital market as well as reduces the financial risk for growth companies. Governmental or EU guarantees shall be granted to the companies against a yearly risk reward fee according to their risk rating. This means that the State even would be able to make a profit. “Our innovative financing concept enables profitable growth by adequate risk reward fees for governmental collateral providers without distortion of competition“, explained Martin Schoeller. Erkki Liikanen, EU Commissioner for Enterprise and the Information Society, highly appreciated the concept on the occasion of a meeting in March in Brussels where Liikanen and Schoeller discussed the Lisbon Agenda of the EU Council setting the objective for Europe "to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world". They agreed that innovation and growth financing represents a key issue of the EU action plan for enterprises which has also been reaffirmed by the EU Spring Summit on 25-26th March 2004. 

Further Projects: Development of Pan-European Entrepreneurship and European Entrepreneurial Education

Further to the issue of innovation financing the new President of Europe’s 500 Entrepreneurs for Growth, Martin Schoeller, intends to focus on two projects: firstly, the facilitation of pan-European entrepreneurship and growth, and secondly European entrepreneurs’ education in cooperation with universities and business schools. “As new president of Europe’s 500 Entrepreneurs for Growth my target is to contribute to more growth by more entrepreneurship“, says Martin Schoeller.

12th March 2004, Brussels

Europe’s 500 Entrepreneurs for Growth appoints its new President

Europe’s 500 Entrepreneurs for Growth, the Association for European Growth Entrepreneurs, appointed Martin Schoeller as new President during their Board Meeting in Brussels on 12th March 2004. Martin Schoeller, Managing Partner, Schoeller Holding Munich, has been on the list of the Europe’s 500 Top Growth Entrepreneurs since 1997. The Schoeller Group of Companies (Packaging, Logistics and Technology Management) employs approximately 5000 people.

Joint Talks with EU Commissioner Liikanen
On the same day the Board met with the EU Commissioner for Enterprise and Information Society, Erkki Liikanen, to discuss possible contributions of the association to the European Agenda for Entrepreneurship. The areas of focus have been Innovation & Growth Financing, Entrepreneurial Education and the facilitation of Pan-European Entrepreneurship.

Liikanen and Schoeller agreed that in order to achieve the goals of the Lisbon Agenda, more entrepreneurship in Europe is urgently needed and for this purpose growth entrepreneurs can make a valuable contribution.