Enterprise Georgia launches grant programme for business ideas

Micro- and small-sized entrepreneurs in Georgia have been invited to submit their projects for a state grant, after the Enterprise Georgia state campaign announced a call for business ideas on Monday.

All adult entrepreneurs are eligible to submit their projects to the Micro and Small Business Support Programme, while the only parties ineligible for the grant are the beneficiaries who won the grant in 2020, and those already funded more than once between 2015-2018, the agency announced. 

The volume of the grant in the amount of 30,000 GEL ($9,345/€8,446) will be available both for expanding already existing projects and for new business ideas. In the regions of Imereti, Racha-Lechkhumi, Kvemo Svaneti, Guria and Kakheti the programme grant will reach up to 40,000 GEL ($12,461/€11,262) under the pilot Integrated Regional Development Programme, launched by the country’s Government and co-financed through the budget support scheme by the European Union.

Participation fee for winners of the programme has been set to at least 20 percent of the grant, with the contribution from winning beneficiaries designated to be at least 50 percent of the grant. For projects addressing highland settlements the former figure is 10 percent, and the latter 25 percent.

Over 300 types of economic activities can be financed within the programme that aims to develop micro and small businesses, establish a “modern entrepreneurial culture” and create new jobs, the agency said. Submissions will be open until April 11.

The pilot Integrated Regional Development Programme 2020-2022 was approved by the Georgian Government in December 2019. The programme follows a European model of regional development. Georgia is the first country among the EU’s Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries where it has been implemented.