Press releases

34 start-up companies or individuals planning to set up a business present innovative business ideas to the Evaluation Committee of the Digital Innovation Support and Technology Startup Programme from 7 to 8 February 2023. Following the final evaluation, the 10 most innovative ideas will be selected, which will access grants of up to RON 500 from the state to implement their projects in practice. The evaluation committee includes representatives from the ODA, the Ministry of Economy, as well as external experts in the field.

Opening the event, ODA Director Dumitru Pintea congratulated the semi-finalists for courage and creativity in designing digital innovations in entrepreneurship.

“Over the course of two days, we aim to identify the 10 most innovative investment projects, which will help reform the production model by implementing innovations or generally launch a new product, identify a new source of raw material or access a new market,” said Dumitru Pîntea.

The State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy, Viorel Garaz, reaffirmed the State’s support for the deployment of digital business innovations.

“The IT domain generates 4 % of Moldova’s GDP. This is due to the support and creation of the right policies for the development of this sector. The Ministry of the Economy, as a strategic partner of the local business community, is supporting with grants, through the Digital Innovation and Technology Start-Up Programme, small medium-sized companies and start-ups in the field of innovation and technology, which will subsequently be transposed into other areas such as industry, organic farming and others.”

Doina Nistor, Director of the Future Technologies Project, funded by USAID and the Swedish Government, welcomed entrepreneurs’ interest in innovation.

“Start-ups are a priority for Moldova. We have ideas, talents and want people who can generate innovations to be able to generate them here at home. We are pleased that together with the Ministry of Economy and ODA we have managed to conceptualise the Digital Innovation Programme and the Technology Startups, as it is important for the state to support ideas and businesses that are at the beginning of the path. I believe that it is a very good time for Moldova to launch this programme, as we live the technological revolution, and now we can give birth to Startups that can have an impact at both national and global level. For Moldova the IT domain is a dragon of the country’s economy, and on this domain we want to build an industry of digital start-ups and innovations.”

The programme to support digital innovations and technology start-ups was launched by ODA in October 2022 with the objective of promoting technological innovations, accelerating the deployment of the digital, circular and technological economy, and increasing the economic competitiveness of the Republic of Moldova in the field of digital innovation, green technologies and sustainable production.

In the first call for projects of the Programme, held in November-December 2022, 70 applications were received, of which 34 projects were proposed to the Programme Evaluation Committee.

The evaluation committee will select the most innovative ideas, which will receive a grant of up to RON 500 with an own contribution of 20 % of the value of the investment project, taking into account the following criteria:

• the innovative level of technology, product and/or service proposed for funding is described in detail and the value of this funding opportunity is clearly stated;
• the potential for development and promotion on the market of the product and/or service proposed for financing is reasonably justified;
• demonstrated market potential for the business in question which may include projections of future demand based on reasonable national/international benchmarks;
• the plan of activities for the development and promotion of the product and/or service proposed for funding is clearly and realistically described;
• the capacity of the deployment team (staff and their skills) of the innovative technology, product and/or service is demonstrated and substantiated;
• the feasibility of the proposed costs and budget, including compliance with the list of eligible and non-eligible costs;
• evidence based on data on opportunities to create social, economic or environmental benefits or benefits from project funding;
• detailed explanation of costs covering alignment with eligible expenditure and expansion and penetration plan in new/existing market.

The implementation of the actions of the Programme for Supporting Digital Innovation and Technology Startups is financed from the state budget and supported through the Future Technologies Project, funded by USAID and the Swedish Government.