Press releases
More than 150 women have applied to date to Strand I of the Women in Business pilot programme
More than 150 Moldovan women have so far applied for support under the Women in Business Pilot Programme. Registration in Component I of the programme will last until the end of March, during which time women intend to launch their own business in the Republic of Moldova, or develop their existing business, may apply to this programme. According to application data, almost 50 % of women who have already enrolled in the programme are employed but have the capacity and wish to start their own business, and another half are on parental leave, work alone or are unemployed.
Geographically, around 80 % of women with an entrepreneurial initiative are from the centre of the Republic of Moldova, of whom more than a third are from the municipality of Chisinau.
Most women opt for service businesses, agriculture, crafts or agri-tourism.
According to Government Decision No 1064 of 16.9.2016 approving the pilot programme ‘Women in Business’, after the end of the application period, the files will be checked against the eligibility criteria for the first component of the programme. According to the programme, 300 women will participate in training, receive entrepreneurship advice and be guided in the business start-up process.
The pilot programme “Women in Business” was approved by Government Decision in September 2016. It aims to provide financial and non-financial support to women planning to launch or expand businesses and to growing companies founded and run by women. The programme provides for 400 women to be given advisory, teaching and financial support.
The programme will support women entrepreneurs at 3 different stages of business development:
1) willing to start a business;
2) enterprises newly created and run by women;
3) growing companies founded and run by women.
Component I provides for the training and mentoring of 300 future entrepreneurs to launch their own business on the territory of the Republic of Moldova within the next 12 months of application to the Programme.
Component II is aimed at companies registered for less than 2 years, created and managed by women. Participants in this strand will receive grants for business development. 100 female entrepreneurs will be selected for this strand.
Component III will provide support to growing companies – large-scale investments to expand the market and promote exports, with advisory support aimed at maximising the impact of investments. The phase is aimed at companies active in the market for more than 2 years, which are created and run by women and plan to increase turnover and/or number of employees over the next 18 months, by expanding the market for sales, export and innovation.