“Addressing entrepreneurial success through education: the case of Contamination Lab 2.0 at University of Salento”

The complexity and uncertainty of present times urged the necessity to develop new tools to guarantee new generations the opportunity to find their place in the economic system. The rising trend of running innovative business, i.e., start ups, generated a considerable number of unsuccessful ideas falling down the Valley of Death. The scarce attitude to entrepreneurial culture and the dramatic lack of financial resources and their inefficient allocation contribute to populate such place of failure and disapp ointment. Looking deeper the issue, a solution would be to systematize local stakeholders to build effective programs to create a fertile entrepreneurial mindset, valorising the role of entrepreneurial education and financial services to nurture innovative start ups. The present study aims to fill such gaps by presenting the case study of Contamination Lab 2.0 at University of Salento (Lecce, Italy) as a best practice to promote and empower talent among prospective students who are willing to start their ow n idea and contribute to the economic growth of the territory. Implications for academics, practitioners and policymakers are provided in order to implement new tools to improve financial sustainability of start ups and develop a fruitful business culture.