3.9 Start-up funding for young entrepreneurs
On this page
In December 2021, the Strategy for the Development of the Startup Ecosystem in the Republic of Serbia (Strategija razvoja Startup ekosistema) for the period from 2021 to 2025 was adopted. The Strategy determines the goals and measures for the development of the startup ecosystem, the implementation of which should result in accelerated development of the startup ecosystem, encouraging innovation in the economy of the Republic of Serbia, as well as economic growth based on the knowledge economy.
To enhance the environment for startup businesses, the Strategy introduces a dedicated measure: "Facilitating Access to Information in Startup Business." Moreover, the strategy outlines a distinct objective, "Improving the Financing Mechanism for Startups," encompassing measures such as increasing grants for early-stage startups, fostering the growth of the entrepreneurial capital market, and establishing a foundation for crowdfunding mechanisms.
Access to information
Young entrepreneurs are informed through different channels, by following institutions and useful platforms, such as:
- Entrepreneurship Portal gives an overview of three different programmes supporting start-ups, development and innovation, digitization and the green economy and it includes a Small business giude portal.
- Startup portal provides an overview of startup support organizations, their programs and events, facilitates networking, it gives insight into tax and regulatory benefits, as well as information on all legal and administrative procedures. The site contains a satrtap guide, a knowledge base and a dealroom application.
- Website of the Ministry of Economy where open calls are regularly published by the Ministry;
- Sections on websites of the Ministry of Tourism and Youth, National Employment Service, Regional Development Agency, Innovation Fund with information about their open calls.
- A network of Science and technology parks, in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš and Čačak each provide information, education and support for startaup devalopment on their websites.
- The Development Fund of Serbia offers a free online educational portal with courses specially designed for young entrepreneurs.
Specific, tailor-made business trainings are conducted by the National Employment Service to all individuals that receive support through Service’s programme of subsidy for self-employment (Subvencija za samozapošljavanje).
Additionally, as a part of different projects aiming to support youth employability and entrepreneurship (see Chapter 3/3.8 Development of entrepreneurship competence/Non-formal and informal learning) different courses, workshops and competitions are organized in order to enable young people to engage and start their own business.
Center for the Promotion of Science carries out various activities in the field of research and innovation such as makers labs, which also aim at popularization of the startup culture and the development of the entrepreneurial spirit amongst kids and youth.
Access to capital
Financial recourses available to young people are ensured by:
- The Ministry of Economy through following programmes:
- Programme to encourage the development of entrepreneurship through financial support for business beginners and young people (Program podsticanja razvoja preduzetništva kroz finansijsku podršku za početnike u poslovanju i mlade);
- Program to encourage entrepreneurship through development projects (Program podsticanja preduzetništva kroz razvojne projekte);
- Support for Small Enterprises for Equipment Purchase (Podrška malim preduzećima za nabavku opreme);
- European Enterprise Promotion Awards (Konkurs Evropske komisije za najbolju ideju u oblasti preduzetništva);
2. The Development Agency of Serbia through programme for Support for Internationalization of SMEs through participation at International Fairs (Program podrške internacionalizaciji MSP kroz individualno učešće na međunarodnim sajmovima);
3. The Development Fund of Serbia through Start-up loans (Startup krediti) and different types of other loans and guarantees;
4. Guarantee Fund of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina through Loans for Women Entrepreneurs and Beginners in Business (Krediti za preduzetnice i početnike u biznisu);
5. The National Empoyment Service through Programme of Subsidy for Self-Employment (Subvencija za samozapošljavanje);
6. The Innovation Fund through:
- Early Development Programme (Program ranog razvoja)
- Co-financing Innovation Programme (Program sufinansiranja inovacija)
- Innovation Vouchers (Inovacioni vaučeri)
- Technology Transfer Programme (Program transfera tehnologije)
- Katapult Accelerator Programme (Katapult akcelerator)
- Smart Start Programme (Pametan početak)
- Serbia ventures – BioTech Programme (Biotech program)
- GovTech Programme (Govtech program)
- Raising the Capacity of Regional Startup Centers Programme (Podizanje kapaciteta regionalnih startap centara)