The “Startup for your business” program was launched in 2009 by the company Philip Morris and the organization ENECA, in the desire to contribute to reducing unemployment in Serbia and encourage entrepreneurship in our country.
Entrepreneurial spirit, innovation, creativity and courage are values that they themselves nurture in their organizations, and through the program “Start a business” they transfer to their environment.
The Startup for your business program provides:
- donation in the form of equipment, licenses or certificates, standardization and optimization necessary for starting or improving a business, in the amount of up to 1,000,000 dinars, with mandatory financial participation in the amount of 20 percent of the grant value;
- business and professional training;
- constant advisory and mentoring assistance.
So far, we have supported 765 entrepreneurs and small companies from the entire territory of Serbia, of which 46.8% are young people and 41.4% are women.
The “Startup for your business” program was recognized as one of the most important programs that promote entrepreneurship in Serbia, and in 2015 it was declared the national winner in the category of investing in entrepreneurial skills by the European Union and the Ministry of Economy. At the continental competition in Luxembourg, he was ranked among the 10 best projects to support entrepreneurship in Europe.
In the first three years, it was implemented as a regional program to support entrepreneurship in the Nisava district, and after great success and interest from other parts of Serbia, in 2012 it was expanded to the entire territory of Serbia.
It is unique in that, in addition to grants for starting small businesses, it also provides additional support in terms of the necessary training, advice and consulting services.