Great interest in the grants of the Small and Powerful project: More than 80 applications were received from all over Serbia

As many as 83 applications from female entrepreneurs and small business owners from all over Serbia were submitted to the competition for awarding five grants of 10,000 pounds each within the Small and Powerful project, which means that almost 17 entrepreneurs applied for each of the five grants. This project is implemented by NALED with the support of the British Embassy.

- The funds are intended for business development - from the purchase of equipment and the creation of new products and services to the digitization of business and strengthening of the market position. The response to the contest clearly shows that women need more such opportunities and contests that are adapted to their economic strength and needs - stated the executive director of NALED, Violeta Jovanović.

The entrepreneurs who applied came from different sectors - the most applications came from the creative economy and production sector, but also from agriculture, the food industry, education, the beauty industry and healthcare. Ideas from trade, tourism and hospitality, information technology, and legal consulting also found their space.

The contest showed that entrepreneurs from all parts of Serbia are interested in grants - from Belgrade and Novi Sad, through Nis, Vranje, Pančevo, Kragujevac and Subotica, all the way to Bačka Palanka, Loznica, Zrenjanin, Sjenica, Tutin, Sremska Mitrovica and Nova Pazova. The largest number of applications were submitted by female entrepreneurs (60), while 20 applications came from micro enterprises and 3 from small enterprises. The projects are mainly conceived as small and medium-sized investments, most often aimed at the purchase of equipment and product development.

Jovanović explains that the selection of applications will take place in two stages - after checking the administrative conditions, all 83 applications will be scored, and the 20 best-ranked projects will enter the shortlist and get the opportunity to present their ideas in front of the expert committee. Finally, at the end of November, the five most successful will be awarded.

- We want to create an environment in which female entrepreneurs will have equal access to resources and the market, so that they can develop, spread and market their innovations not only in Serbia but also abroad - she concluded.

As a reminder, micro and small enterprises, as well as entrepreneurs with majority female ownership (at least 51%), founded between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2022, had the right to participate.