The exhibition "Entrepreneur Expo" was launched at Moldexpo

Around 100 small and medium-sized enterprises from Moldova will exhibit their products and services at the second edition of the "Entrepreneur Expo" exhibition, organised on 23-26 November by CIE "Moldexpo" in collaboration with the Organisation for the Development of Entrepreneurship (ODA). The exhibition aims to bring together the business environment and state institutions to give a new impetus to the development of entrepreneurs in order to support and promote them.  Thus, during the 4 days, ODA organizes several information activities for the business environment: seminars, presentations of support programs, business consultations, B2B sessions, etc.

At the opening ceremony of the event, ODA Director Dumitru Pîntea stressed that the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises in exhibitions is important to identify new opportunities for development and expansion on the European market.

"The recommendation of the European Commission on the opening of negotiations for the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the EU will provide expanded opportunities for local companies to export products and services to the European market. We can say with full confidence that the Entrepreneurship Development Organization contributes, through entrepreneurial support mechanisms, to the integration of the national economy into the EU economy. Therefore, the participation of local producers in both national and international exhibitions is important and beneficial to identify new partners and diversify the market. On the platform "Entrepreneur Expo", ODA aims, together with CIE Moldexpo, to support local small and medium-sized enterprises to promote their national goods and services, to initiate new cooperation relationships and to study the market more thoroughly", said Dumitru Pîntea.

Radu Marian, Chairman of the Parliament's Committee on Economy, Budget and Finance, thanked the entrepreneurs for the huge effort they make for the country's economic development. "We thank you for being creative, resilient, creating jobs and keeping Moldova on the path of development. We support you and urge you to make use of ODA support mechanisms, especially the Government's 373 Investment Incentive Programme which provides easy access to finance for companies."

"The Government's priority is to develop the economy and provide new opportunities for business. In various key areas we are intervening to create a climate conducive to innovation, investment and stimulate growth.
The "Entrepreneur Expo" platform, developed together with ODA and CIE Moldexpo, is here to support entrepreneurs. We want to contribute to the creation of beneficial synergies, fruitful collaborations, but also to better understand where we are and what growth opportunities we can identify," said Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economic Development and Digitisation Dumitru Alaiba.

The "Entrepreneur Expo" is supported by external partners: European Union, GIZ Moldova and the World Bank. 

The representative of the European Union Delegation to Moldova, Adam Grodzicki, reiterated European support for Moldovan entrepreneurs to access foreign markets. "Sustainable SME development is at the core of the EU's integrated approach to private sector development. The European Union reaffirms its commitment to support the Republic of Moldova on its path towards a sustainable and inclusive market economy, where SMEs are the main generator of innovation and job creation", said Adam Grodzicki, Deputy Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova.

 

GIZ Moldova representative, Karin Horhan, Programme Manager, said that through this platform - Entrepreneur Expo - companies will be promoted on foreign markets through B2B meetings and initiation of new business partnerships.  "We are very proud that through the contribution of the Governments of Germany and Switzerland, the project "Strong Entrepreneurship and Municipalities for Moldova" is supporting Antreprenor Expo for the second consecutive year. This year, the agenda of the event is ambitious and complex, including discussions on access to finance, internationalization of companies, presentation of government programs for SMEs, etc. More than 100 companies and 5000 visitors are expected at the event, and these numbers confirm the importance and uniqueness of this event for Moldova. "


Guido Beltrani, Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office: "The development of the business environment remains a priority for the Government of Switzerland, and such events further reinforce our decision to provide Moldova with such support. We congratulate the participants for their efforts and involvement in this event, the organisers, the partners and we have every confidence that during these days an appropriate context for new successful partnerships will be created".

Carolina Chiper, general director of CIE "Moldexpo" mentioned that "Antreprenor Expo" is an ambitious project initiated in collaboration with ODA, which revives the exhibition market in Moldova. "A year ago, a new event appeared in the exhibition landscape of our country - "Antreprenor Expo", an ambitious platform for the development and promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises in the country. Today we are happy to see that we have succeeded in making the exhibition bigger, more beautiful and, most importantly, useful for the sector. We see in the pavilion small producers of food, textiles, other goods, service providers from the most diverse fields, but all united by a common goal to promote and expand their market."


This year's edition brings together around 100 participants from a wide range of sectors.

The core sample is made up of representatives of small and medium-sized businesses from all over the republic presenting their achievements and offering the widest range of products and services in the fields:

  • Food industry (food, apiculture, canned food, beverages);
  • Light industry (textiles, clothing, footwear);
  • Domestic tourism, agri-tourism;
  • Interior design, furniture, construction, energy.

A special segment is the services available to entrepreneurs, namely:

  • Financial, credit, accounting, legal, insurance and other institutions;
  • Investment companies, consulting companies, non-governmental organisations, small and medium-sized enterprise development projects;
  • Various services, including security and cleaning; carriers, etc.


During the exhibition, ODA is organising a Business Programme to inform the general public about the latest government initiatives supported by the European Union on access to finance for both entrepreneurs and those who want to step into the business world. The programme includes seminars and thematic activities, business meetings between Moldovan SMEs and international companies, presentations of support programmes.

At the same time, all economic agents, participating in this exhibition, have the possibility to settle their participation expenses through the "Programme for subsidizing the participation of economic agents in fairs and exhibitions", managed by ODA.

 

The opening ceremony of the exhibition can be watched here: https://shorturl.at/ozILM 

See the Agenda of the ODA Business Programme. https://shorturl.at/osF47