Enterprise Georgia CEO highlights Gov’t’s “supportive mechanisms” to promote SMEs at OECD Eurasia Week

Mikheil Khidureli, the CEO of Enterprise Georgia, the state agency promoting entrepreneurship, investment and exports, on Friday highlighted the Government’s “supportive mechanisms” to promote small and medium-sized enterprises in Georgia.

In his speech at the panel of the OECD Eurasia Competitiveness Roundtable, held within Eurasia Week 2023 in Paris, Khidureli emphasised Enterprise Georgia’s initiative to establish Growth Hubs as regional consulting centres, representing “an exemplary effort to foster SME digitisation across the country”.

He added the first centre was already operating in a pilot regime, with two more set to launch “shortly”, stressing the extensive research, conducted by the agency prior to the project’s launch.

This research aimed to understand the specific needs of businesses in different regions. As a result, the Growth Hubs now offer a comprehensive range of services structured into six different modules. These modules cover vital aspects such as sales and marketing, business modelling and strategic planning, finance and accounting, legal considerations, taxation, and, notably, digitalisation”, the CEO of the agency said.

Photo via Enterprise Georgia

Khidureli also noted the Growth Hubs were “well positioned” to assist businesses in navigating the “complexities of the digital landscape and harnessing its potential for growth” by integrating digitalisation into the services.

As part of OECD Eurasia Week 2023, Khidureli also participated in a plenary session titled Low Carbon Transitions in Eurasia: Strategic Frameworks for Sustainable Infrastructure, where he discussed the agency’s engagement in promoting environmental sustainability within the country's enterprises.

In the OECD’s latest ranking, revealed on Wednesday, on the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Policy Index involving the European Union’s Eastern Partnership countries, Georgia has maintained the status of a frontrunner.

• Georgia leading in EU Eastern Partnership’s small, medium-sized business policy

The report covering Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine placed the country at the top in 11 out of 12 categories, ranging from institutional and regulatory framework, operating environment, insolvency and second chances, entrepreneurial training and women's entrepreneurship.