Call for projects to enter the Woman Entrepreneur Program begins on August 18

The Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Tourism has announced that the call for projects for the Woman Entrepreneur Program, which aims to reduce the gap between women and men entrepreneurs, opens on August 18.

"The Woman Entrepreneur Program is this year’s third open call for SMEs in Romania. This time, we are aiming to reduce the gap between women and men entrepreneurs, especially as only 36.84% of all partners and shareholders in Romania are women,” said minister of Entrepreneurship and Tourism, Daniel Cadariu, quoted by News.ro.

The program’s budget is roughly EUR 32 mln for the year 2022, and an estimated EUR 200 mln for the entire period from 2022 to 2027.

Through the implementation of the program in the period between 2022 and 2027, it is estimated that 5000 beneficiaries will receive grants, of which around 785 of those beneficiaries will receive their grants this year.

Each beneficiary can obtain a maximum of EUR 40,000.

"The program contributes to achieving OECD standards on gender equality in entrepreneurship as it is a tailor-made measure that ensures access to finance for women entrepreneurs. Equal opportunities are achieved, first and foremost, by reducing the existing systematic deficit," added minister Daniel Cadariu.

News.ro reports that the scheme’s main objective is to stimulate and support the establishment and development of private economic structures set up and run by women, to improve their economic performance, to achieve smart, sustainable, and inclusive economic growth based on digitization, sustainable development, innovation, and entrepreneurial training, all in the context of the problems connected to balancing family and professional obligations and the prejudices that still exist at a local level.

Eligible companies must comply with the criterion that at least one of the partners be female and that she holds at least 50% of the company’s shares.

For companies established under Law No 1/2005 on the organization and functioning of the cooperative, the condition is deemed to be met if the majority of the members of the Board of Directors are women.