This project is co-funded by European Union through the Interreg- IPA CBC Programme -

Social Entrepreneurship

Ecosystem Development - SEED

The Foundation for Development of Small and Medium Enterprises – Regional Enterprise Support Center – Strumica

The Foundation for Development of Small and Medium Enterprises – Regional Enterprise Support Center – Strumica was established on 21.06.1999 as a non-governmental and non-profitable organization, part of a network of five regional SME business information and advisory centers with financial and technical support from European Union through PHARE Program, with the objective to assist potential and existing SMEs.

The main objective of the Foundation is to work in partnership with other local interests to develop and “add value” to the economy of the Strumica region through the expansion of SME-s. The primary role of the RESC is to assist SME-s in building the internal strengths and capacities that they will need to survive and grow in an increasingly competitive environment. The implementation of this role will require the provision by or through the RESC of a full range of information,advisory and training services to SME-s.

RESC Strumica is place where the entrepreneurs directly receive all the necessary information, advices and support; also our center is a meeting point where development activities can be created with help of local community and the all economy carriers in the region.

Services for existing SMEs as well as unemployed persons who are potential future entrepreneurs include:

Providing advises and information to existing and potential entrepreneurs primarily on: available instruments and credit lines - sources of funding, SMEs base, SME legislation, market information, partnership opportunities, etc.
Organizing training's and seminars, forums, round tables, B2B meetings, etc.
Preparation of business plans
Support in identifying business possibilities
Information on existing credit lines and the procedures for granting
Information about suppliers of equipment, sources of raw materials
Information, consulting services including experts in specific areas
Information on the active measures and policies of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia under the entrepreneurship, competitiveness and innovation development program
Information on encouraging unemployed people, young entrepreneurs to open their own businesses and generate new jobs
Arrangement of business meetings and fairs
Preparation of classified business directory

Preparing business profile of the enterprise
Promotion of the regional enterprises.
Information on EU projects and funds, how to apply for them, how to manage and implement them (because we have practical experience)

The Foundation for Development of Small and Medium Enterprises - RS Strumica has continuous cooperation with the institutions that support the development of small and medium enterprises.

As a business support organization for the Southeast region we are involved in the implementation of four programs of the Agency for Promotion of Entrepreneurship of the Republic of North Macedonia.

Voucher System of Consultancy (from 2005 till now) with aims to encourage self-employment among the unemployed, to assist the existing active SMEs in the development of their business through a specialized consulting service from consultants from APPRSM authorized consultant network
The Info pult program (from 2007 till now), non-financial assistance to provide informational, promotional, advisory and logistical support to SMEs and potential entrepreneurs seeking self-employment, as well as dissemination of relevant and useful information to SMEs and potential entrepreneurs. To create Data-base for our clients and to provide the contact information for common Macedonia data-base.
Self-employment program (from 2009 till now) designed for unemployed people who want to start their own business, a program that offers counseling to unemployed people, education, developing a professional business plan, business registration and non-refundable - Business Start-up Grant
Mentoring Program (from 2018 till now) - a free service that can be used by micro, small and medium-sized companies following the methodology for implementing standardized mentoring services, developed in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Mentoring helps the owner or manager of the company recognize the key point of their business potential and improve the business results of the enterprise

We are also working on EU projects and have implemented several projects under the IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Program:

1. Project “Cross-border region Strumica - Goce Delchev - cultural puzzle in New Europe” - European Union funded project under the CARDS cross-border cooperation program. The object was to stimulate the sustainable tourist economy of the Strumica – Gotse Delchev cross-border region through promotion and effective use of cultural heritage and human resources

2. Project “Forms of cooperation between craftsmen and SMEs for joint participation in local cultural and economic development in the municipalities of Kustendil, Strumica and Kriva Palanka” - EU funded project under IPA Cross-Border Cooperation between Macedonia and Bulgaria. The object was to stimulate the sustainable economy of the Strumica – Kriva Palanka – Kyustendil cross-border region through promotion of SME’s and crafts.

3. Project ,,Creative Entrepreneurship Network,, – EU funded project under IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Program between Macedonia and Bulgaria. The object was to contribute to the main objective “to intensify cross-border cooperation between the people and institutions of the region in order to jointly address common challenges and exploit untapped potentials” through forming environment to unlock creativity, in particular of young people, to develop tools as mobile creative atelies/workshops in local communities and entrepreneurial skills to untap the potential of creative industries.

4. Project “Development of Social Entrepreneurship Ecosystem” - EU Project funded by IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Program between Macedonia and Bulgaria.

The Foundation also works on projects through the Municipality of Strumica, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, various other institutions and donors.

The employees of the Foundation for Development of Small and Medium Enterprises – RESCStrumica have participated in many trainings, seminars, professional trainings and also have twenty years of practical experience in working with small and medium enterprises and unemployed persons who are potential entrepreneurs, have experience in making business plans, service of credit lines and we also have experience in implementing projects financed by the EU and other donors.

Business Incubator – Gotse Delchev - Entrepreneurship promotion center

Objectives

BI-GD works towards encouraging local economic & human resources development. Its main objective is to support start-ups and SMEs within the Gotse Delchev region through providing them high quality business services: information, consultancy, trainings, and support for micro-financing.

Team

One of the main achievements of the organization is the competent and motivated team. The team relies on the initiativeness, creativity, innovatory and partnership.

The organization has capacity and gained experience in: development and management of EU and international projects, business consultations of start-up, small and medium enterprises, support and work with young entrepreneurs, partnership establishment, operative programmes and NSRF consulting, knowledge transfer, professional training, information services and etc.

The personal experience of the team members is as follows:

Rositza Djambazova, Team leader

Education: electronics and automation engineer from the Technical University, Sofia and post-graduation in “Foreign Trade and International Marketing” from the University of National and World Economy (UNWE) Sofia; 15-years’ experience in working-out strategies for development, project proposals, establishment and development of start-up businesses and SMEs, elaboration and implementation of projects for local economic development, employment and human resource’s development, business consulting for start-up companies and SMEs, researches and analysys, marketing, business planning, management of micro-financing scheme, partnerships, trainings, certified trainer by infoDev (Development Program of the World Bank ) on business-incubation management

BI-GD attracts and collaborates with outside experts and partnering organizations and structures from Bulgaria and abroad.

Project partners

This web page has been produced with the assistance of the European Union through the Interreg - IPA CBC Programme CCI No 2014TC16I5CB006 - . The content of this web page is the sole responsibility of Foundation for Development of small and medium enterprises Strumica and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the Managing Autority of the Programme.