SME National Council launches Startup Ingenium project, to encourage entrepreneurship among students

The Startup Ingenium project, co-financed by the European Social Fund through the Human Capital Operational Programme 2014-2020, with a total value of 9.681 million lei (of which 9.661 million lei non-reimbursable financing) will be implemented over January 2022 - December 2023, informs the National Council of Small and Medium-Sized Private Enterprises in Romania (CNIPMMR), Agerpres reports.

According to the quoted source, the general objective of the project is to encourage entrepreneurship and employment among students by supporting the establishment of enterprises operating in economic sectors with competitive potential.

"The target group of the project consists of a number of 350 people from the following categories of eligible target groups, defined according to the specific conditions guide: Students (International Standard Classification of Education - ISCED level 5-7) and PhD students in the doctoral studies cycle (PhD students, ISCED level 8) with domicile / residence in the less developed regions of Romania (respectively North-East, South-East, South Muntenia, South-West Oltenia, West, North-West and Center), as well as in the more developed region Bucharest - Ilfov," the release reads.

The project will include training courses, internships and mentoring and 29 people who will participate in a business idea competition to obtain funding between 40,000 euros and 60,000 euros (the first 13 business plans that propose 2 jobs will get 40,000 euros and the first 13 business plans that propose 3 jobs will get 60,000 euros).

According to CNIPMMR, the results of the project implementation will be: 350 people tested in order to assess their entrepreneurial potential and 350 graduation certificates issued by ANC attesting to the improvement of skills in the entrepreneurial field. There will also be 65 jobs created and maintained, 29 internship reports for people whose business plans have been selected for de minimis aid plus 3 more reserves, as well as 29 persons who will benefit from personalised counseling / consulting / mentoring services and 26 enterprises established according to Law 346/2004.