Feasibility Study for the Geldrop-Mierlo Entrepreneurs Fund

Why the Entrepreneurs Fund for Geldrop-Mierlo? 
 

Geldrop-Mierlo is home to over 4,000 businesses, but union membership in industrial parks and outside the city centers is low:

• Of the seven business parks, only Hooge Akker has an organizational structure (in the form of a cooperative), but it lacks the resources needed to achieve shared goals (such as a walking trail)
• There is little to no cohesion among the other six business parks
• The Gemini Business Association focuses on business-to-business activities, but has only 50 members in our municipality

The contrast: In the two centers where an advertising tax is levied, the level of organization and engagement is actually high. There, a wide range of joint activities are organized to achieve a common goal. There is also an established consultation framework with the municipality.

What can an Entrepreneur Fund do for you?

We therefore believe that an Entrepreneurs’ Fund could be very beneficial for Geldrop-Mierlo. Not only in terms of increasing the level of organization among entrepreneurs, but also in fostering cohesion among entrepreneurs, Health, the community, the sports sector, and residents. And to serve as a valuable partner for the municipality in addressing the challenges that lie ahead.

An entrepreneurship fund can implement certain facilities, safety measures, or other activities that individual entrepreneurs cannot carry out on their own but that serve a common goal.

Specific examples: 

• Collective funding of shared interests (park management, promotion, events).
• Solving the free-rider problem: without a mandatory contribution, some businesses will not pay, even though they benefit from the collective efforts.
• Strengthening collaboration. The fund encourages mutual cooperation and consultation, as entrepreneurs and community partners make joint decisions on how to allocate the funds. This strengthens: the collective interest, engagement with the local community, and influence on municipal policy.
• Improving the business climate: joint investments in the area’s image, accessibility, and safety increase its appeal to customers, employees, and new businesses, which can lead to higher revenue and property values.
• Stable and long-term funding: Rather than one-off, voluntary initiatives with fluctuating levels of support, an Entrepreneurs Fund provides continuity. Each year, there is a guaranteed budget for projects