In Serbia, 85% of small businesses start with their own funds

Almost three-quarters of small entrepreneurs in Serbia believe that financial support from the state for the purchase of equipment and materials would be crucial for an easier start of business, while 60% emphasize the importance of subsidies for employment. More than half expect a reduction in parafiscal levies, lower labor costs and more efficient digital services. These are the key findings of the survey "Attitudes of small businesses, entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs in Serbia", conducted by Ipsos in cooperation with NALED, within the project "Strong and important" with the support of the British Embassy.

- Administration related to tax solutions and certificates represents the biggest challenge for almost half of entrepreneurs, followed by complex labor-legal regulations and parafiscal burdens. Most businesses (85%) are started from personal funds, while for further development they most often rely on their own profit (64%) - said Ana Antic, senior manager of Ipsos.

This is precisely why NALED recently formed the Council for Small Businesses - a permanent advisory body that gathers small business owners, representatives of institutions and experts, with the aim of jointly formulating recommendations, proposing concrete solutions and improving the business environment for small businesses.

- Entrepreneurs are the carriers of the economy, but often without support in the system. The council was formed to empower them and include them in dialogue - so that the state hears them in time, and not just when they grow up. We want to make it easier for them to get the information, regulations and support they really need - said Jelena Bojović, program director of NALED.

The survey shows that entrepreneurs most expect from the Council information on regulations (31%) and a reduction in the tax burden (27%). Most still rely on accountants (91%), while women also use informal sources more often (49%). Almost all respondents (96%) support the idea of ​​a free online information platform.

Marija Tasić, founder of the law firm Tasić & Partners, said that according to the research, she belongs to typical entrepreneurs.
- The position of entrepreneurs should be made easier, to which digitization can greatly contribute. That's why my team and I founded the Mybiznest startup two years ago, created for entrepreneurs, micro and small businesses - said Tasić.

Although half of small businesses recognize that society provides support for women who want to start a business, a third believe that such support is still seriously lacking. As many as 7 out of 10 businessmen believe that women less often decide to take the entrepreneurial step. One of the bright examples of local support for female entrepreneurs is from Pirot, where the branch of the National Employment Service has been implementing special programs to encourage female entrepreneurship for years. The director of the branch, Suzana Đorđević, presented the concrete results:

- In the last two years, we supported 47 women who started or developed their own business, and in 2025 we allocated 2.5 million dinars for new beneficiaries. We know how much first aid means - and we want it to no longer be the exception, but the practice.