The Ministry of Economy announced the Program for encouraging the development of entrepreneurship through financial support for beginners in business

The program to encourage the development of entrepreneurship through financial support for business beginners in 2022 (hereinafter: the Program) is implemented by the Ministry of Economy (hereinafter: the Ministry) in cooperation with the Development Fund of the Republic of Serbia (hereinafter: the Fund).

The total available grants for the implementation of this program are RSD 150,000,000.00. The remaining amount of investment by business entities will be financed from the Fund's loans. The right to apply for the Public Call is for entrepreneurs, micro and small business companies, who have been registered in the Agency for Business Registers for the earliest two years in relation to the year of submission of the request, i.e. in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Business entities that meet the conditions of the Program can exercise the right to financial support in the form of grants in the amount of up to 30% of the investment value, i.e. up to 40% of the investment value for business entities that belong to local self-government units that are classified in the fourth group of development in accordance with Article 12 of the Law on Regional Development and the Government act establishing a unique list of development of regions and local self-government units. The remaining amount of the investment will be financed from the Fund's loan with a repayment period of up to 5 years, within which there is a grace period of up to one year, and an interest rate of 1% per year with a bank guarantee or 2% per year with other means of security, with the application of the currency clause. The right to apply for the Public Call is for entrepreneurs, micro and small business companies, who have been registered in the Agency for Business Registers for the earliest two years in relation to the year of submission of the request, i.e. in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

The total amount of funds approved per request cannot be less than 400,000.00 dinars, nor more than 6,000,000.00 dinars for all economic entities.

Investments that can be financed within the framework of this Program include:

• the purchase of equipment, delivery vehicles (including electric powered mopeds) used to transport own products, materials and raw materials and other means of transport included in the production process (new or used, not older than five years);
• current maintenance of business or production space up to the amount of 350,000.00 dinars;
• operating costs, which can participate up to 20% in the structure of the total investment, for which Program funds are requested.

Founders of economic entities, who apply for funds under the Program, can to contact accredited regional development agencies in order to receive free training for starting a business and to provide them with advisory and technical assistance in connection with applying for the Program, which is provided by the aforementioned agencies under the Standardized Set of Services for SMEs Program. 14, Belgrade.

SUBMIT THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION IN 2 COPIES!

The public call is open until the amount of requested grants does not exceed the amount of funds available for the implementation of the Program by 35%, which is the average percentage of rejected and abandoned requests before resolution in previous years, and no later than 31.12.2022.

Competition documentation and complete information on all essential elements and rules for participation in this public call can be downloaded from the website of the Ministry: www.privreda.gov.rs and the Fund: www.fondzarazvoj.gov.rs.