SPEED – Towards an Efficient and Developed Economy

Project Introduction

The Civitas Foundation for Civil Society in Odorheiu Secuies, in partnership with the Harghita County Innovation and Business Incubation Association from Miercurea Ciuc, has launched the “SPEED – Towards an Efficient and Developed Economy (SPEED – Spre o Economie Eficientă și Dezvoltată)” project. The project’s duration is 36 months, with a total value of 10,683,494.44 RON.

The main goal of the project is to increase the standard of living of the population in the Central Romania development region, to develop entrepreneurial skills, to establish non-agricultural urban businesses, and to create sustainable and high-quality jobs.

Key Activities:

1. Informing the population about the project, its benefits, and potential outcomes. We will organize group and individual information events in the counties of Brașov, Alba, Harghita, Covasna, Mureș, and Sibiu, with at least 480 participants in total, 30 people from each county. During the meetings, participants will express their level of interest in the initiative when filling out attendance sheets. Following a selection process, at least 360 people, who intend to start a business, will be invited to our theoretical and practical training. Of the participants, 60% will be unemployed or inactive individuals (e.g., high school students, university students, or housewives), and 40% will have a job, be self-employed, or hold a share in a company. The training will last for 40 hours and will take approximately 8 days. The training modules include: “Be an Entrepreneur!”, “Starting a Business”, “Accounting”, “Business Communication”, “Marketing”, “Business Planning”, and “Information Technology”. Based on their final exam results, the top 10 participants in each group will be rewarded with a premium.

2. At the final exam of the training, participants will present a business plan they have created (see the model). They will have one more month to perfect it. The best 36 business plans will be eligible for up to 177,740 RON in de minimis funding to implement their business plans.

3. In order to implement the business plans, the beneficiaries will establish new businesses (legal forms can be a limited liability company, sole proprietorship, cooperative, association, etc.). The business can engage in any authorized production, service, or trade activity. The company must create two new jobs and maintain them. A person who is not a majority shareholder in a company established under Law 31/1990 can also create a new business. The businesses must be registered with urban headquarters, but the owners can have a rural residence.

4. Business owners will participate in a two-month internship at units whose activities match the subject of the business they are starting.

5. Entrepreneurs will receive professional support and consultancy, and their businesses will be monitored until the project’s completion (December 2020).

6. The businesses created will form a network, providing moral support, exchanging experiences, implementing joint marketing strategies, and establishing close and fruitful economic relationships with each other.

The Civitas Foundation for Civil Society in Odorheiu Secuiesc, in partnership with the Harghita County Innovation and Business Incubation Association in Miercurea Ciuc, has launched the project called “SPEED – Towards an Efficient and Developed Economy.” The project’s duration is 36 months, starting from January 18, 2018, and its total value is 10,683,494.44 RON.

The main goal of the project is to increase the standard of living of the population in the Central Romania development region, to develop entrepreneurial skills, establish non-agricultural urban businesses, and create sustainable and high-quality jobs.

Key Activities:

The population will be informed about the project, its benefits, and potential outcomes. We will organize group and individual informational events in the counties of Brașov, Alba, Harghita, Covasna, Mureș, and Sibiu, with at least 480 participants in total, with at least 30 from each county. During the meetings, participants will express their level of interest in the initiative by filling out attendance sheets.

As a result of a selection process, at least 360 people who intend to start a business will be invited to attend our theoretical and practical business development training. Of the participants, 60% will be unemployed or inactive (e.g., high school students, university students, or housewives), and 40% will have a job, be self-employed, or hold a share in a company. The training will last approximately 8 days. The training modules include: “Be an Entrepreneur!”, “Starting a Business”, “Accounting”, “Business Communication”, “Marketing”, “Business Planning”, and “Information Technology”. Based on their final exam results, the top 10 participants in each group will be rewarded with a premium.

At the final exam of the training, participants will present a business plan they have developed, and they will have one more month to perfect it. The best 36 business plans will be eligible for up to 177,740 RON in de minimis support to implement their business plans.

In order to implement the business plans, the beneficiaries will establish new businesses (legal forms can include limited liability companies, sole proprietorships, cooperatives, associations, etc.). The business can engage in any authorized production, service, or trade activity. The beneficiaries must create two new jobs and maintain them until the end of the project. A person who is not a majority shareholder in a company established under Law 31/1990 can also create a new business. The businesses must be registered with urban headquarters, but the owners can have rural residences.

Business owners will participate in a two-month internship at units whose activities are similar to their business activities.

Entrepreneurs will receive professional support and consultancy, and their businesses will be monitored until the project’s completion (January 2021).

The created businesses will form a network, providing moral support, exchanging experiences, implementing joint marketing strategies, and establishing close and fruitful economic relationships with each other.

Participation in the project is free of charge.

Detailed information about the project can be found on the websites vallalkoznijo.ro, intreprindereata.ro, civitas.ro, as well as on the “Vállalkozni Jó” and “Întreprinderea Ta” Facebook pages.

Call for Proposals: POCU/82/3/7 Supporting the increase of employment in non-agricultural urban businesses.

Project ID: 104998

The project is co-financed by the European Social Fund through the Human Capital Operational Program (POCU 2014-2020).

The 8-day business development training organized within the SPEED project is an accredited course in the following topics: Entrepreneurial Skills Development (A) and Use of IT Tools (B).

The Entrepreneurial Skills Development course ends with a final exam. After successfully passing the exam, everyone will receive an accredited certificate.

Training duration: 40 hours (12 hours of theory + 28 hours of practice)

Training modules:

1. Be an Entrepreneur! – 2 hours of theory + 6 hours of practice

2. Business Communication – 2 hours of theory + 4 hours of practice

3. The Basics of Marketing – 2 hours of theory + 4 hours of practice

4. Business Planning – 2 hours of theory + 6 hours of practice

5. Bookkeeping – 2 hours of theory + 4 hours of practice

6. Starting a Business – 2 hours of theory + 4 hours of practice

Instructors:

Damokos Ibolya, Haider Csaba, Dr. Ilyés Ferenc, Kolumbán Gábor, Pakot Mónika, Dr. Szabó Árpád.

Training schedule:

Sessions 1 – 6: 6 hours of training (2 hours of theory + 4 hours of practice) – Modules 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Session: 4 hours of training (2 hours of practice each) – Modules 1, 4 Final Exam:

Two days before the final exam, a business plan (2 copies) must be submitted.

The exam consists of two parts:

Written – a test sheet must be completed,

Oral – the submitted business plan must be defended.

After the exam, there is one month available for further developing the business plan, during which time instructors will hold individual and group consultations.

Use of IT Tools – 8 hours (1-day) theoretical and practical training.