The business environment in the cross-border area presents weaknesses in providing financial tools to SMEs, either at the stage of their establishment or at the level of existing ones that require working capital (funds). The proposed project comes to cover the aforementioned gap by providing specialized support that takes into account the profiles of the stakeholders and aims to highlight and use new financial instruments (tools) and services of access to working capital (funds). The constant changes and variability of entrepreneurship in conjunction with the introduction of new technologies, regulations and processes regarding the development, production, marketing and products’ availability, requires specialized and targeted support. The proposed project will provide support in combination with consulting services in a range of themes – sectors (product labeling and certification, export-oriented issues, regulatory framework, specific accounting requirements, market analysis, modern organization, management and operation methods for SMEs, etc.). The business environment requires and largely relies on the development of networks whose utility has been confirmed. The timely and immediate information can be proved valuable in finding trusted partners – collaborators. Business networks could provide this immediacy of information and support partnerships. The proposed project will proceed to the creation of cross-border networks between SMEs, also aiming to integrate them into larger existing networks at European and international level. An additional reason for the development of cross-border networks through internet applications is the recent attempt to provide direct aid (funds) to SMEs in the cross- border area through Greece-Bulgaria 2014-2020 Program. In the cross-border area, there is a dynamic human capital seeking creative solutions, to innovate and support the local economy and entrepreneurship and also CB area has a high concentration of academic and research institutions with extensive expertise in applied sectors of the economy. There are sectors of economic activity that can greatly benefit from modern technologies and practices. But the RΚΑΙD of companies are not enough, especially with the reduced costs required in many cases. Businesses need to have access to research and innovation that can improve their value chain. The proposed project foresees the establishment and operation of a Structure of Creative Entrepreneurship in which the participants will follow a specific way of dealing with the problem they want to solve. With criteria the human needs, the technologically feasible implementation and the business viability, they will discover what are the characteristics and qualities that their product or service must have in order to solve the problem efficiently and effectively. The Structure of Creative Entrepreneurship will be the cross-border reference point for innovation, research and support regarding the development of ideas and products. The reduction of operating costs without affecting quality factors, it is one of the most significant challenges in the modern business environment, especially in recent years with the presence of countries that have compressed the above costs and appear highly competitive. The proposed project will apply cost-cutting technologies and processes, on a pilot basis, which will be implemented to a specific number of companies which will be selected by the final beneficiaries. The issue of linking the labor market and the business world has been and continues to be a hot topic. It is not so much the level of education, but the specialized knowledge and practice that should cover the business needs. The proposed project will reflect their needs, in collaboration with specialists, in targeted education and training of their staff so that they represent real data, taking into account all the requirements of the cross-border area.
TOTAL BUDGET: 652.200,00 €
Funding: 85% EU and 15% National Contribution
LOCATION OF ACTIVITIES
Implemented within the framework of the INTERREG V-A GREECE – BULGARIA 2014-2020 Cooperation Program.
Project duration Start: 13/04/2021 End: 30/11/2023 Total Months: 31,61
6th CALL FOR PROPOSALS: UNDER PRIORITY AXIS 1 – INVESTMENT PRIORITY 3a
PROGRAMME PERIOD: 2014 – 2020
Priority Axis 1 -A Competitive and Innovative Cross-Border Area
Fund: ERDF
Thematic Objectives /Priorities
03-Enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises, the agricultural sector (for the EAFRD) and the fisheries and aquaculture sector (for the EMFF) Investment Priority 3a – Promoting entrepreneurship, in particular by facilitating the economic exploitation of new ideas and fostering the creation of new firms, including through business incubators Specific Objective 1 – To Improve entrepreneurship SME support systems
