Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs is a cross-border exchange program that gives new entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn from experienced entrepreneurs running small and medium-sized businesses covered by the Program. New entrepreneurs through residence (from 1 to 6 months) with host entrepreneurs gain knowledge and experience necessary to run a small business.

Through Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs International Exchanges, we bring in great people and significant business experiences in the lives of young entrepreneurs. The exchange takes place within the project “SME Growth in Europe – SGE12”, led by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Girona (Spain), and co-financed by the European Commission, where the Business Confederation of Macedonia appears as a national contact point and partner of the program for the Republic of North Macedonia.

With the SGE 12 project, we support young and potential entrepreneurs in North Macedonia to develop their businesses or business ideas by working with experienced entrepreneurs from other EU countries. At the same time, successful entrepreneurs from North Macedonia can share their experience and their businesses can become role models for other young European entrepreneurs.

This project started in February 2020, and by the beginning of 2024, partners aim to reach out to at least 240 young and experienced entrepreneurs from Spain, Italy, Romania, Poland, Greece, Austria, Malta, Macedonia, France and Holland, and to support and fund at least 120 international exchanges.

New Entrepreneur is defined as:

• Permanent resident of one of the countries involved in the program
• Plans to start a business or has started a business in the previous 3 years
• Person with concrete and feasible business idea translated into a quality business plan

Host Entrepreneur is defined as:

• Successful and experienced entrepreneur (owner/manager) with at least 3 years of work experience in running micro small and medium enterprise
• Permanent resident of one of the participating countries
• Owner of a small and medium enterprise or an individual directly involved in entrepreneurship at the board level

There is no age limit for participating in the program, but the experience as an entrepreneur is a condition. It is not defined as training, but a job in the host company to develop entrepreneurial skills and gain business knowledge and experience of running a small business in direct collaboration with a host entrepreneur. New entrepreneurs will also have the opportunity to stay abroad, in one of the EU member states or in a participating country, where they will work with their host entrepreneurs.

The application process is divided into 4 stages and is facilitated by intermediary organizations, contact points of the program:

1. Stages of application: Apply online at: http://www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu/
2. Matching phase: where entrepreneurs encourage their collaboration and define an action plan
3. Preparation phase: concluding contracts and preparing the exchange
4. Implementation phase: the new entrepreneur travels abroad, spends some time there and also cooperates with the host-entrepreneur