Press releases
The Entrepreneurship Expo 2024 business programme successfully completed
Chisinau, 12 October 2024 — The third day of the Antreprenor Expo 2024 put the government instruments available for entrepreneurs in the Republic of Moldova into value. The event started with welcome speeches highlighting the continued support of national and international institutions for entrepreneurship in Moldova.
Guido Beltrani, Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office, underlined Switzerland’s commitment to the Republic of Moldova, highlighting the continued support provided for sustainable development and economic inclusion. He mentioned that SMEs were the foundation of the local economy and that supporting them is a priority for Swiss cooperation.
‘Switzerland, like Moldova, strongly appreciates entrepreneurship and innovation. In our countries, small and medium-sized enterprises form the foundation of the economy and play a key role in generating jobs, thereby contributing to overall prosperity. Swiss financing interventions in the Republic of Moldova aim at improving the legal and regulatory framework for business development as well as boosting investment in growth potential sectors such as agriculture and technologies. At the same time, the development of female entrepreneurship is one of the main objectives, part of the strategic partnership with the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalisation and ODA“”, said Guido Beltrani.
Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Moldova, Excellence Sa Yoichiro Giro Yamada also sent a message to welcome, highlighting the appreciation of Moldova’s efforts in developing the economy, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises.
‘Japan highly values the quality of IT and digitalisation products and services that Moldova offers. We look forward to the steady growth of the sector and reaffirm our support in this course. Our collaboration with the Organisation for the Development of Entrepreneurship is an example of an effective partnership, and our support for the initiatives of the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalisation is a strong commitment to accelerating the digitalisation process and strengthening the domestic economy”noted Excellence Sa.
Vadim Codreanu, Director ODA, stressed the importance of access to finance for SMEs in a broader context of sustainable economic development.
‘The implementation of government entrepreneurial support programmes is a firm commitment by the Government of the Republic of Moldova, through the Organisation for the Development of Entrepreneurship, to create an ecosystem conducive to economic development. Whether we talk about digitalisation, greening or female entrepreneurship, each programme is designed to meet the needs of our entrepreneurs. Through such initiatives, we support innovation, strengthen competitiveness and help make small and medium-sized enterprises a central pillar of the national economy”, mentioned Vadim Codreanu.
The first session gave a comprehensive overview of growth opportunities for SMEs in the Republic of Moldova, by Vadim Codreanu, Director ODA. During this session, the Director detailed the multiple government entrepreneurial support programmes.
The second session was dedicated to instruments promoting the economic and financial inclusion of women in entrepreneurship. Presentations by experts in the field highlighted programmes to support female entrepreneurship. The panel was also marked by clear examples and success stories of women who managed to develop their business, demonstrating the positive impact of the female entrepreneurship support programme.
A session dedicated to the digital economy was also held today. The discussions underlined the importance of support for technology start-ups and digital innovation in the Republic of Moldova, with examples of good practice and concrete solutions tailored for SMEs to boost their development and competitiveness.
The last discussion panel focused on the green economy, where participants discussed the importance of greening SMEs. The debates highlighted how sustainability can become a catalyst for sustainable economic development in the Republic of Moldova, giving entrepreneurs opportunities to adapt their business to the requirements of a greener and more responsible future.
Finally, the award ceremony of recognition diplomas was held for exposing entrepreneurs. The event marked an appreciation for the active involvement of participants who presented their innovative products and services throughout the exhibition.
We would point out that during the first day of the event, the Engineering Forum and Industrial Furnizors took place, where more than 100 companies with B2B collaboration and export potential participated. The Forum provided funding and development opportunities through direct meetings with financial institutions and business service providers, thus facilitating strategic partnerships and scaling up in international markets.
At the same time, during the second day of the event, access to finance was discussed, where ODA announced the launch of a new financing product, “found investment BGK”, designed to boost the national economy. In addition, details on the Government Programme 373 were presented, which provides access to advantageous credit to stimulate business development in strategic sectors of the economy.
This event takes place with the support of the “Long Business and Commons for Moldova” project, funded by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Government of Switzerland, implemented by GIZ Moldova. The event is also financially supported by the European Union through the project “EU for Small and Medium Enterprises” and other development partners.
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