“Support for entrepreneurs” will be held in nine cities of Latvia in autumn
In autumn of this year, the Ministry of Economics, in cooperation with the development finance institution Altum and the central finance and contract agency in nine Latvian cities, will organise forums “support for entrepreneurs”, providing entrepreneurs with comprehensive information regarding the currently available and planned support for start-up and expansion of entrepreneurship.
In the new European Union Funds programming period, the Ministry of Economics will form support programmes amounting to a total of eur 764 million. The planned amount of investments for innovation and entrepreneurship is eur 463 million. By developing innovative and quality niche products with high added value, the growth of business competitiveness will be faster, ensuring stable and sustainable growth of Latvian economy. Therefore, our priority is to support entrepreneurs who introduce new innovative products where business risks are higher and support is more necessary ”, says Raimonds Aleksejenko, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Economics.
Representatives of the Ministry of Economics, Development Finance Institutions Altum, Employment State Agency, Rural Support Service, Latvian Investment and Development Agency and Central Finance and Contract Agency, as well as the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, will inform entrepreneurs regarding available and planned support for the development of entrepreneurship in the 2014-2020 EU fund planning period.
The first forum for “support to entrepreneurs” will take place on 1 October of that year in Valmiera (Vidzeme High School, Valmiera, Cēsis Street 4). Forum agenda published On the website of the Ministry of Economics. Participation in the event - free. Next forums will be held in Balvi (6.10.2015) and Bauska (13.10.2015); all events calendar is published On the website of the Ministry of Economics. More information on the forum is available in the Ministry of Economics (Inese Berzins, e-mail: atbalstsuznemejiem@em.gov.lv, phone: 67013240).
As informed in advance, planned amount of EU funds for innovation and entrepreneurship in the next seven years The areas of competence of the Ministry of Economics will be eur 463.15 million, including EUR 193.5 million for the development of innovation and EUR 237.1 million for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises and for further growth and 32.55 energy efficiency improvement in industrial sites.
In order to promote the development of innovation in Latvia, the total investment in the framework of the Ministry of Economics programmes is planned at eur 193.5 million. The Ministry of Economics also plans to continue the competency centre and innovation voucher support programmes during this programming period to promote the development and implementation of new products in manufacturing, as well as the training of employees. The innovation motivation programme will promote and develop skills for launching innovative business. A significant increase in funding is planned for the technology transfer programme by expanding the range of services offered and focusing on revenue generation from the licensing of intellectual property licensing and contraction.
In order to promote Latvia's competitiveness in external markets, support for strengthening the competitiveness and export capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is planned to be eur 237.1 million. Support TO THE competitiveness of SMEs is led to the development of business incubators, clusters, external markets, development support programmes for industrial areas, as well as loan and guarantee programmes, with special attention to support for business beginners. A separate programme to promote the visibility of Latvia as a tourist destination is also planned. Similarly, a programme to support new technologically intensive start-ups in technology accelerators is planned and it is planned to continue the venture capital investment programme to promote faster business growth and development.
Evita Urpena
Ministry of Economics
Head of Public attiecību Division
Tel: 67013193
E-mail: Evita.Urpena@em.gov.lv; prese@em.gov.lv
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