Funding Opportunities
In its effort to support the business during these difficult times, Ernst & Young are delighted to let you know that the EY Finance Navigator team is offering three months of free access to ‘EY Finance Navigator’, an online financial planning software designed specifically for startups and scale-ups to help them build professional financing models and detailed cash flow projections. In this way, the consulting company would like to support startups in a moment when they are most vulnerable.
The deadline for registering is 31 July 2020 and the 3 months free access starts from the registration date. Request your three months of free Finance Navigator access here. Please make sure that you enter “COVID19FN” in the field, “How did you hear about us”, which will enable the free membership.
At this link, you will find detailed product instructions, including a 37-minute webinar with complete instructions on how to use the tool.
Once you register and receive your Finance Navigator account, you will also receive a short guide explaining how to get started with the software.
For any questions, please contact stella.georgieva@bg.ey.com or thefinancenavigator@nl.ey.com
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The Fund of Funds has signed a contract for new BGN 35.6 million, which will be managed by Vitosha Venture Partners OOD. Between BGN 30,000 and 2 million will support over 100 Bulgarian startups. About half of the companies will participate in the Fund Manager’s acceleration programme, the rest of the investments will be in companies at a more advanced stage of development.
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United Bulgarian Bank (UBB) is the first financial institution to offer the new guarantee programme COSME COVID-19 of the European Investment Fund. BGN 245 million will be directed to micro, small-, and medium-sized enterprises to overcome the financial consequences of COVID-19. Under the program, 80% of the loans, bank guarantees, and the total limits for working capital and issuance of bank guarantees in BGN and EUR will be guaranteed free of charge. The maximum loan amount is 150 000 Euro, and the financing period is from one to five years, with an option to extend this period to up to 10 years.
The programme is open until the end of 2020. The conditions for participation have been eased to the fullest, with no need for complicated documentation to prove the impact of COVID-19 on the business.
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MediaMotor Europe’s new project, under Horizon 2020, is administering a procedure for raising applications from technology startups and scale-ups from the creative and media industries. Companies can apply for participation in a six-month accelerator grant programme for business development, entering international markets, attracting corporate clients, and accessing an international network of professionals and investors. A minimum of 60 applications from promising European startups will be accepted. The application deadline is 17 July 2020.
Key topics:
- Fight against misinformation and fake news;
- Improved access to media services for people with disabilities;
- Improved human-machine interaction;
- Better protection of personal data through new technologies;
- Transition to data-driven media during the Industrial Revolution 4.0 on the market.
Find more information about the programme here and here.
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We remind you that the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises has a new portal on its website where you can find information about public financial support instruments. The Agency also maintains a National Export Portal to support the entry and successful positioning of Bulgarian enterprises at foreign markets. You can also check the Voucher Scheme opportunities for providing ICT services to micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises.
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Apply for the third edition of the Entrepreneurs in Science training programme of the Carol Knowledge Foundation by 31 August 2020. It will be held online between 23 September – 2 December 2020. The competition with a prize of BGN 30,000 will be held in mid-December.
The training is free and practically oriented. It is aimed at doctoral students in their last year of studies and scientists who have defended their doctorates during the previous five years in engineering, new materials, and new technologies. The participants in the competition will compete for funding by presenting business concepts based on their research work.
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Young entrepreneurs with a business idea can apply to join Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs. This cross-border exchange programпе gives new or future entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn from skilled experts who run small businesses in other countries participating in the initiative. Programme guide and local contact point by country can be found on the website here.