With the objective of focusing on direct poverty alleviation through the support of local institutional initiatives that support start-up companies as well as existing SMEs to create jobs, SPARK recently opened a request for proposals inviting innovative, results-oriented local not-for-profit organizations (business incubators, science and technology parks and business support centres or similar initiatives). This call for proposals is part of a SPARK programme supporting Business Start-Up Centres & Incubators in South-East Europe.

65 project proposals were submitted and based on evaluation criteria awarded are: 

- Youth Entrepreneurial Service Foundation from Skopje: Start-up and Growth: Reducing Youth Unemployment and Poverty through Business Development – The project will work with two direct target groups: unemployed youth will benefit from business start-up courses combined with a business plan competition and award of seed funding; youth-run companies will benefit from wage subsidies which will stimulate the hiring of additional staff and in addition directly help the growth of the youth - run businesses. Expected results are 20 new businesses and at least that many job created through 4 business start-up cycles and up to 40 new jobs created in up to 25 youth run companies through wage subsidies.

- Enterprise Support Foundation Tetovo: Self-employment in Tetovo region project – will contribute to amelioration of the socio-economic impact of increasing unemployment due to economic transition process, by initiating new business trainings, creation of new job opportunities, raising awareness of opportunities and benefits of self-employment in Tetovo region. Targeted is creation of minimum 10 new self-employed business and 50 trainees educated in business skills. 

- Innovation and Technology Foundation Tuzla: New employment of IT experts and foundation of new IT companies – The project of new employment of IT experts and foundation of new IT companies supported by the BIT IT Academy program is based on increased requirements for IT specialists on local IT labour market. IT companies embedded in Tuzla experience the same demands for well trained IT professionals and are ready to offer jobs right after the completion of their training. This project also offers a solid ground for a foundation of new IT companies, initiated by the business ideas of IT Academy students. 20 new jobs will be created during the first year.
Business idea generation training,
Enterprise Support Foundation from Tetovo

- Independent Office for Development from Modrica, in partnership with Association for Entrepreneurship and Job LINK Mostar, Association of Entrepreneurs and Employers Zepce and Entrepreneurship and Development Centre Tuzla – Incubator Lipnica: Job creation through improving hard and soft business infrastructure in business incubators Modrica, Zepce and Tuzla and business support centre in Mostar - The idea of the project is to gather 3 Business Incubators and 1 Business Support Centre and work toward implementation of the common strategy – to create better working conditions of current and potential beneficiaries by improving energetic efficiency of all 4 centres’ buildings currently used for business incubation and business support, to improve business advisory services for beneficiaries and start-ups, and to improve management of business incubators and business support centres. 24 total new jobs will be created.

- Business Incubator Centre Prokuplje, in partnership with National Employment Service, Business Incubator DOO Krusevac, Regional Agency for SME development Sombor: Job Opportunities through Basic Services - By implementing the project Business Incubator Center Prokuplje intends on contributing to the enlargement of the number of small and medium sized enterprises in the Toplica District in support of entrepreneurs to establish their companies, making a direct impact on reducing unemployment, within all the municipalities of the District will be provided free services, trainings, consulting potential entrepreneurs with viable business proposals as well as providing advice to existing small and medium sized enterprises. In addition, the BIC intends on exchanging the/or prevailing experience with the management of the BIC from city of Krusevac and Sombor, thus straight forwardly contributing to the implementation of positive models in remaining municipalities of Serbia. Expected results are: creation and maintenance of 100 jobs in Toplica district, establishment of 20 new micro businesses, vocational and technical skills provided to the project beneficiaries (500). Read the latest news on activities of Buisness Incubator Center Prokuplje here.

- Business Technology Incubator of Technical Faculties (BITF) Belgrade, in partnership with Business Incubator Centre Yumco D.O.O. Vranje: Business Skills Development in Function of Local Development - At present, Business Incubators in Belgrade and Vranje are at different levels of development. Efforts will be made to accelerate Vranje business incubator (BI) placement into function and preparing it for its first tenants. Within this project, BITF Belgrade will transfer its knowledge and experiences to BI Vranje and support its accelerated development so that typical mistakes can be avoided. At the same time, BITF Belgrade will further develop its capacities by organizing trainings, expanding existing services and developing advanced services to its tenants. Implementation of the trainings and providing direct support through permanent consulting services will result in developed business skills of potential entrepreneurs and owners of start up businesses. This will accelerate the development of small enterprises and have an important impact on local communities. Among other this project will result in developing capacities of incubators and creation of 50 new working places.

- Regional Development Agency South, Prizren, in partnership with Business Centre in Suhareka and Prizren region municipalities: Facilitated Employment Generation - Program will directly challenge the problem of unemployment through the process of supported employment, self-employment, supported entrepreneurship and grant incentives to employers by providing support to direct employment. The program aims to provide employment through its specially designed Incentive Fund Plan which will be used to purchase equipment for at least 12 applicants.



Beneficiary - Ms. Blerina Bejtullahu - Mushtishte

- RIINVEST Institute, Prishtina: Supporting SMEs in the region of Prishtina – Objective of the project is to increase employment and competitiveness of selected businesses through identifying and working with the direct improvement of selected value chains, developing partnerships and increasing the capacities of human resources. The project aims to increase outputs of targeted businesses by at least 20% in terms of sales and new jobs. The project will create 2 business interest groups (mini- clusters/cooperatives/business clubs) in food and wood processing, and strengthen their position in the market through improvement of business processes.