Press releases

17 December 2025, Chisinau — The results of the Small Producer Support Programme, the mentoring programme and the WE.Circular Project, managed by the Organisation for the Development of Entrepreneurship in collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalisation, were presented today in the “Partnerships for Entrepreneurship Building” event. The event brought together public authorities, development partners and business representatives.

“Financial support programmes and products managed by ODA, complemented by training and capacity development initiatives such as mentoring, create solid foundations for the consolidation and sustainable growth of entrepreneurship. We encourage entrepreneurs to seize these opportunities, convinced that investment in skills and vision is a safe step towards success and economic resilience.”, stressed Vadim Codreanu, Director ODA.

Since the summer of 2024, 51 companies have been approved as part of the Small Producer Support Programme, receiving grants totalling lei 18.4 million. These funds contributed to total investment in the economy amounting to lei 30.8 million.

At the time of submission, beneficiaries combined 178 jobs and the implementation of investment projects will lead to a further 206 new jobs.

A particular moment of the event was the celebration of seven companies among the beneficiaries of the programme, which accessed a total of lei 2.6 million in non-repayable financing under the “EU4Moldova: Local Communities” programme. The programme is funded by the European Union and the governments of Germany, Austria and Poland and is implemented in the Republic of Moldova by GIZ, ADA and Solidarity Fund PL.

“The European Union and its Member States are alongside entrepreneurs in Moldova, as supporting them means investing in people, communities and the economic future of the country. Our assistance is not limited to grants or projects – it is a long-term strategic partnership that combines access to finance, business development services and a better business environment and is reinforced by the opportunities created by the DCFTA and Moldovan journey towards integration into the EU single market. The small local producers we celebrate today, as part of the EU4Moldova programme: Local communities show how EU support is turning into new jobs, innovation and greater competitiveness in all regions, including rural areas. We are pleased to see that more and more companies grow with EU support and remain committed to accompany Moldova on its European path, with SMEs at the heart of a sustainable and inclusive market economy’, said Julda Kielyte, team leader for inclusive and competitive growth, Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova.

The companies financed under the programme had nine jobs at the time of submission of files and will create a further 33 new jobs during the implementation of investment projects.

I would recall that, in March 2025, with the financial support of the EU and the governments of Germany, Austria and Poland, ODA, it held a series of information sessions in Strione, Edineț and Leova raios, informing more entrepreneurs of opportunities to access non-repayable financing through the ‘EU4Moldova: Local Communities’ programme implemented by GIZ, ADA and SFPL.

“Entrepreneurship support programmes confirm that government investments, with strategic and development partners, can have tangible effects on the economy, contributing both to the creation of new jobs and to increasing the competitiveness of local businesses”. said Constantin Mediterranean, Head of the Policy Directorate for Entrepreneurship Development at the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalisation.

The event also presented the results of the 2024-2025 mentoring programme, which proved to be an important entrepreneurial development tool. 15 qualified mentors coordinated 184 female entrepreneurs, supporting them in the process of independent analysis of alternative solutions, developing professional skills, acquiring new knowledge and strengthening entrepreneurial experience.

In addition, the WE.Circular project, dedicated to the transition to the circular economy and supporting female entrepreneurs, was presented at the event. The training programme carried out under the project supported ten female entrepreneurs who run business in manufacturing, services, tourism, creative industries.
The project has also developed a transnational strategy and action plan highlighting the importance of partners’ common objectives, cooperation between countries and ways of implementing activities, contributing to increasing the impact of the project on economic and sustainable development.

“WE.Circular creates bridges between innovation, sustainability and female entrepreneurship, providing SMEs with concrete tools to make the transition to circular and competitive business models”, said Aurelia Sarari, Expert in Circular Economy.

EU4Moldova programme: Local communities were launched in 2022 as a Team Europe initiative to strengthen local development and improve citizens’ lives, in particular in Edinete, Leova and Stretry raionale. The programme is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and Solidarity Fund PL (SFPL) in Moldova.

For more information on business support programmes, visit the official website www.oda.md or contact the ODA Consultation Centre at phone number: 022 22 57 99.

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