Women with low incomes from rural areas, who are willing to set up their own businesses, will be able to benefit from non-reimbursable financial support of up to 165 thousand lei, offered by ODIMM and the company EFES VITANTA MOLDOVA BREWERY.

A collaboration agreement in this regard has been signed by the Organization for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprise Sector (ODIMM) and ME ”EFES VITANTA MOLDOVA BREWERY Joint Stock Company. The two entities have taken on the responsibility of supporting female entrepreneurship, especially women in poor financial situations, who intend to open or develop their own businesses. Thus, ODIMM, through the Programme "Women in Business", will select, on a competition basis, companies managed by women, financing 90 % of the investment project value, and EFES Moldova will cover the owner’s contribution of 10 %.

The General Director of ODIMM, Iulia Costin, declared, during the signing event of the Collaboration Agreement, that this partnership is a significant one both for ODIMM and for all women from the Republic of Moldova. "We will combine our efforts to help women, especially those from rural areas, involve actively in socio-economic life. World expertise has shown over time that women in the regions have brilliant ideas and possess business development skills, what they need is just more motivation and support. ”

Ludmila Andronic, the Corporate Affairs Director of EFES Moldova, has stated that through this partnership Moldovan women will benefit from support to achieve their dreams."We come to empower women, covering their own contribution of the investment project, along with the grant offered by ODIMM. Thus, we complement a part of our corporate sustainability and social responsibility project. We hope that together with ODIMM we will be able to offer one hundred percent grants for as many women as possible, so that they can launch the businesses they dream of. ”

At the same time, ODIMM and EFES agreed to organize and participate in various mutual activities of promoting the interests of SMEs, including promotion through virtual platforms.

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Between October 28 – 29, 2021 local enterprises in the field of cultural and creative industry are invited to participate in virtual B2B meetings with representatives of companies from various European countries. Participants in the dialogue will have the chance to get in contact with new business partners and learn about the latest trends and innovative solutions within the creative and cultural sector abroad.

Companies interested in creating international partnerships can register at https://bit.ly/3aKjaEU. You will then receive a participation link by e-mail.

Language of communication - English.

The online meetings will take place on the B2MATCH Platform where you can schedule your time and dialogue partner.

Don't miss the chance to generate potential customers, new contacts, business ideas, get inspired from European practices and gain visibility.

The event is organized by the Enterprise Europe Network, together with the Danuban project "RESTART_4Danube - Regeneration of urban areas to stimulate creative industries for a stronger Danube region", in which ODIMM actively takes part.

The Republic of Moldova, together with Greece, Armenia and Georgia, aims at modernizing companies which deal with cultivating and promoting plants and plant products, in order to help increase cross-border business opportunities for the enterprises from the Black Sea Basin countries. The 4 countries are partners within the European project "HEGO - Plants for Economic Growth", implemented under the Joint Operational Programme Black Sea Basin 2014 - 2020. The Organization for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprise Sector (ODIMM), as an implementing partner of the project in the Republic of Moldova, has organized the first national event of disseminating this cross-border initiative, which was attended by representatives of public authorities, research institutions, universities / training centers, entrepreneurs and project partners.

At the beginning of the event, Iulia Costin, the General Manager of ODIMM, highlighted that the Republic of Moldova has a number of advantages for developing this industry. “The local products from the Republic of Moldova, obtained from herbaceous plants and the plant products with a commercial value-added, are highly appreciated both on the local and international markets, being used in such industries as: food, cosmetics and home care, decoration & design, and pharmaceuticals. Through this project we aim to strengthen this field of activity in order to capitalize on the unexplored potential. At the same time, we intend to come up with dedicated and sustainable initiatives, including the creation of a cross-border cluster ”.

The project manager, Tassos Livadiotis, Development Association, Halkidiki (Greece), stressed that nowadays, there is an increasing demand for the traditional and innovative use of value-added plants, which reveals new business opportunities in this field. “According to recent statistics on international trade (UN, UNCOMTRADE), the global export demand and prices for the value-added plant products will continue to grow until 2025, and the plant products with improved quality and increased nutraceutical value will become more appealing to customers. Through HEGO project, we intend to bring together the significant players of the herbal product sector value chain and producers, academia, local authorities, etc., in order to help increase the cross-border business opportunities for the companies from the Black Sea basin countries”.

During the virtual event, there have been revealed the development opportunities for growing, producing, promoting and selling medicinal and aromatic plants. At the same time, there have been described some success stories of Moldovan entrepreneurs, specifying the contribution of the key actors in the development of this field, as well as activities planned within the project.

This is the first event to promote the project "HEGO - Plants for Economic Growth". Similar activities will be organized by the other partner countries:

a) Armenia - January 2022,

b) Georgia - May 2022 and

c) Greece - October 2022.

It is worth mentioning, that the Republic of Moldova is an important area for growing etheric crops, due to its favorable climatic and environmental conditions, as well as rich flora. According to the data from the “National Report on Biological Diversity. Republic of Moldova ”in 2019, the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants occupied an area of about 3.5 thousand ha. At present, there are registered more than 50 farmers, producing aromatic and medicinal plants, including lavender and sage, which are used on the local market, and also exported to foreign companies. Out of the total number of 26 producers of medicines in the Republic of Moldova, 17 companies produce phytopreparations, herbal products and medicinal plants. Out of 1156 medicines manufactured in the country, 238 (20.59%) represent phytopreparations, vegetable products and medicinal plants.

The project "HEGO - plants for economic growth" is funded by the European Union through the Joint Operational Programme Black Sea Basin 2014 - 2020. The initiative was launched in July 2020, being implemented by a consortium of 5 organizations from 4 countries: Development Association from Halkidiki, Greece (leader); Organization for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises Sector (ODIMM), Moldova; Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; Georgia Farmers Association and Agribusiness and Rural Development Center, Armenia. The aim of the project is to modernize enterprises related to the cultivation and promotion of plants and value-added plant products, and to contribute to increasing cross-border trade opportunities for the enterprises from the Black Sea Basin contries.

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The Republic of Moldova is the first country of the Danube region which will have a Support and Mentoring Programme for social enterprises. The new entrepreneurial support initiative has been presented today to the experts from Hungary, who are leading partners in the European transnational project Finance4SocialChange, of which ODIMM is also a part.

During the meeting, the representatives from Hungary were acquainted with the actions taken by ODIMM, in order to promote the concept of social entrepreneurship in the Republic of Moldova, and the success stories of the companies that undertake social activities.

“Social entrepreneurship is a relatively new sector for the business community from Moldova, but with unexplored potential. The state support currently provided to the disabled people and other vulnerable groups focuses mainly on the provision of social and medical care and, to a less extent, on the development of independent living skills. ODIMM has assumed the commitment of promoting social entrepreneurship, and will provide all the necessary aassistance for launching and developing it", stated Iulia Costin, the General Director of ODIMM.

The new support tool has been developed by ODIMM together with the Ministry of Economy and development partners, aiming at supporting the growth of over 100 social enterprises, especially in rural areas, and the creation of at least 300 new jobs. The initiative has a well-defined social goal and a mission, which aims at generating a beneficial impact on people,  environment and community. Through this Program there will be created a more inclusive society, by applying business tools in solving social problems.

At the same time, with the support of the European project Finance4SocialChange, ODIMM will launch in October-December a National Campaign of promoting Social Entrepreneurship Initiative, through which there will be broadcast advertisements and success stories of the companies that are involved in social entrepreneurship. At the same time, there will be organised webinars and information sessions in order to promote the concept of social entrepreneurship in the Republic of Moldova.

So far, 4 companies from the Republic of Moldova have been awarded the title of "social insertion enterprises" by the National Commission for Social Entrepreneurship. Other 46 companies are known as being periodically engaged in social activities.

According to statistics, the social economy in Europe covers over 14.5 million paid employees, which accounts for about 6.5% of the working age population, and about one out of four created businesses has the status of a social enterprise.

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 Entrepreneurs from the Republic of Moldova will have a new source of information through which they can find out about business strategies from a legal and digital points of view.

ODIMM is a partner of the new ghidulafacerii.ebrd.md portal, launched by the EBRD with the support of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s  Good Governance Fund (GGF). On this new platform local companies can find tips and tools that can help them improve their business and overcome tough economic times.

Iulia Costin, the General Manager of ODIMM, who was present at the official event of the portal launch, welcomed the emergence of the new platform, which will become an important source of information for improving the business knowledge and skills of entrepreneurs from the Republic of Moldova.

"Access to information and innovation is the engine of an economy, and a new portal, designed to inform the entrepreneurial environment, has the role of becoming a significant chain in this process."

In this context, Iulia Costin reminded that one of the basic priorities of ODIMM in developing SMEs from Moldova is to support sustainable entrepreneurship by encouraging the digitization of SMEs.
In 2020 ODIMM launched the Digitization Support Tool for SMEs in order to assist digital transformation, maximize the innovative potential of enterprises and facilitate companies' access to internal and external markets. Through this initiative, 280 companies were financially supported by Grants and Business Vouchers, and 700 entrepreneurs were trained in the field of business digitization.

In order to ensure continuity of the information technology implementation by the local business environment, ODIMM has developed the Program of  SME Digital Transformation,  which has been submitted for final approval and will be launched by the end of 2021.

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Purem by Eberspächer - a major component developer and supplier in the automotive industry is interested in identifying suppliers and initiating partnerships with domestic companies.

Today, during the “Purem Suppliers’ Day and Scoping Mission” event, organized by ODIMM, the Purem representatives of the Eberspächer Group presented their areas of interest in cooperating with local companies.

At the beginning of the event, the General Manager, Iulia Costin, highlighted the support offered by ODIMM to local companies for their development and internationalization.

“ODIMM facilitates the international promotion of local businesses through access to new markets, refurbishment and interconnection of local suppliers with foreign companies. At the same time, we are developing a database of the companies from the Republic of Moldova with an export potential and support their integration in the regional and international value chains ”.

The representative of the Eberspächer group, Volker Cwielong, highlighted that he would be interested in potential cooperation with companies from the Republic of Moldova.

“Following this mission, we will evaluate possible partnerships with local companies and hope to identify suitable suppliers in the Republic of Moldova ”. 

During the event, there have been organized several B2B meetings between the representatives of the local companies and the representatives of the German Group, in order to present their products and services, and to establish future cooperation.

Today's meeting will be followed by a series of field visits to some entrepreneurs from CNC processing, production of welded metal structures, plastic injection and industrial design, in order to identify potential partnerships and mutually beneficial relationships.

The event is initiated by the Organization for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprise Sector with the support of the Project "Advising the Government of the Republic of Moldova on Economic Policies", implemented by GIZ Moldova with the financial support of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

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The Organization for the Development of  Small and Medium Enterprise Sector, created on May 17, 2007 at the initiative of the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure to support the development of the SME sector, is the main institution for implementing national support programmes and the first point of reference for every entrepreneur from Moldova. The results achieved during its 14 years of activity and the impact of entrepreneurial support tools in the economy of the Republic of Moldova have been presented today at a press conference with the participation of the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure and the representatives of major international donor organizations, ODIMM partners.

Iulia Costin, the CEO, emphasized the fact that over the years, ODIMM has become an ambassador of the business environment, contributing to the development of the entrepreneurial eco-system in the Republic of Moldova. Thus, during 14 years of activity, over 150,000 people have benefited from ODIMM services, of which, at least 110,000 citizens have received business advice, 38,000 companies have been trained, 4,500 companies have received financing in the overall amount of over 665 million lei, which generated investments in the national economy of about 2 billion lei and created approximately 11,000 jobs.

“Throughout its activity, ODIMM has evolved by completing its portfolio with new products and services for the SME sector from the Republic of Moldova. With our help, companies manage to reduce operating costs, minimize business risks, add value to their brands, generate new sources of income and become competitive on the local market and various foreign markets. The organization currently manages 12 Business Support Programmes, most of which provide training, funding and mentoring. ODIMM is present in all regions of Moldova, from North to South, providing SMEs with 11 Business Incubators for assisting start-ups, 3 clusters for strengthening relationships between regional actors, and a network of consulting centers, in addition to the district councils. Multifunctional Industrial Platforms to support local producers are in the process of  being established too”.

According to Iulia Costin, the CEO, during 2021, ODIMM will launch, with the support of the Government and external development partners, 7 new business support programmes that will increase the competitiveness of SMEs, offer entrepreneurs in difficult situtions opportunities to relaunch their business (second chance), develop rural tourism, boost technology transfer between universities and private sector, and, the last but not least, encourage the establishment of social enterprises.

During the press conference, Mihail Lupașcu, the Minister of Economy and Infrastructure (MEI), has specified the active interconnection between the business environment, government policies related to SME sector and their successful implementation by ODIMM.

“During 14 years of activity, ODIMM has become the most important support institution for small and medium enterprises, providing consulting, support and training services to young people and women with business ideas, migrants who returned home, companies with growth and export potential, and other people interested in business. MEI and ODIMM will go on assisting entrepreneurs by the help of existing tools, will launch new support initiatives and continue to innovate in everything they do in order to meet the current needs of entrepreneurs”, said Mihail Lupașcu. At the same time, the MEI official stated the importance of EU support through the opportunities offered by the Association and Free Trade Agreement for the SME sector.

The outcomes achieved by ODIMM are due to the support received from the state and from the main international donor organizations.

The European Union is a trustworthy partner of ODIMM, which has contributed as through expertise and technical assistance so through financial aid for entrepreneurs in the regions, as well as through the development of business support infrastructure and digital transformation of companies. The support offered by the European Union for developing SME sector and strengthening ODIMM capacity amounts to over 17 million Euros over the years.

Boris Filipov, the Manager  of the Programme „Economic Development and Market Opportunities” within the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova, congratulated the team of ODIMM for their efforts to develop the SME sector in Moldova. 

“ODIMM has always been close to entrepreneurs, implementing relevant support programmes, offering grants and business solutions. The EU has been supporting the SME sector in Moldova for many years, as it believes in the potential of this sector to contribute significantly to the national socio-economic development and to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the Association Agreement. At the moment there are about 30 local and bilateral EU programmes and projects that can benefit small and medium enterprises in Moldova”.

At the same time, Boris Filipov assured that the European Union, in its post-2020 programme, will continue to support the SME sector, in which greening economy and digital transformation will be among the main priorities. Finally, he expressed his belief that ODIMM will make even more efforts in the future to help SMEs grow in order to be more resilient and better prepared for prospective challenges.

Thomas Foerch, the Manager of the Project "Advising the Government of the Republic of Moldova on Economic Policies", German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), specified the role of ODIMM in growing entrepreneurial culture, digital transformation and connecting Moldovan enterprises to regional and international value chains.

Dominika Stojanoska, the UN Women Moldova Country Representative, expressed appreciation for the partnership and fruitful cooperation with ODIMM in empowering women and promoting gender equality in the Republic of Moldova.

Tarik Sahovic, Senior Private Sector Specialist on behalf of the World Bank Group highlighted the importance of supporting and strengthening the institutional capacity of ODIMM in implementing the development strategy of  SME sector in the Republic of Moldova, elaborating the most important financial tool for SMEs - Credit Guarantee Fund for SMEs, managed by ODIMM, as well as the mechanism for SMEs internationalization.

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