Programs
To strength and reshape the eco- system of social entrepreneurship in the country
Co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Programme, this project is implemented by Business Impact Lab in collaboration with Ascend Consulting in Malta, between 15 February and 14 October 2024.
The primary goal of the project is to empower young VET students, recent graduates and social entrepreneurs from both North Macedonia and Malta to drive us towards a more sustainable future. Specifically, by equipping them with the skills and knowledge necessary to identify and pursue entrepreneurial opportunities that can make a positive impact on society.
Dovetailing from here, the main specific objectives of this project are to support:
  • Capacity building in the realm of social entrepreneurship and startup creation. Specifically, by preparing our target beneficiaries (young VET students, recent graduates and social entrepreneurs) for the challenges and opportunities associated with building truly sustainable businesses from economic, environmental and social perspectives. Hence pursuing triple bottom-line objectives, not just of financial returns for them, but also of greener and more socially supportive communities.
  • Cross-Cultural Cooperation by promoting knowledge-sharing and collaboration among participants from both regions.
 
The project main activities will revolve around the implementation of a digital Acceleration Programme for “Boosting Impact Business Skills”. In a Digital Bootcamp style, this programme will consist of group training sessions and individual mentoring provided by a team of international experts, along the following key topics:
  • Testing Ideas and Customer Discovery
  • Business Model Canvas
  • Making an Impact
  • Go to Market
  • Storytelling and Pitching
 
The programme will then conclude with a Demo Day in Skopje, North Macedonia, where the trained and mentored impact business entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to pitch their business concepts and network with potential investors and collaborators.
In this sense, we and our project partner will be soon launching an Open Call for Participants from North Macedonia and Malta in this Acceleration Programme. The indicative timeframe for this is March-April 2024. Based on the received applications, we will then select 10 impact business concepts from each of the covered countries to be accelerated part of this project and benefit of:
  • Free online training & mentoring for 1-2 persons per selected impact business concept
  • Free participation in the Demo Day in Skopje for 1 person per selected impact business concept
  • Free assistance in creating/enhancing & promoting their brand identity for the top 3 impact business concept
Are you interested to participate? Then email info@businessimpactlab.co expressing your interest and you’ll be directly informed when the Open Call for Participants will be issued very soon!
 
SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD
The mission of the Social Impact Award (SIA) is to offer to young people and students one entrepreneurial journey that will make social difference. Established by the Erste Foundation, Impact Hub Vienna and Vienna University of Economic and business in 2009, SIA promotes the knowledge and practice the social entrepreneurship among youth in Europe.

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SOCIAL INNOVATORS CONFERENCE
In 2016, the 1st Social Innovators Conference was launched in Skopje, inspired by the idea that social innovation can bring positive inspiration and transformation to a community. Dozens of partners, volunteers and passionate people from Central&Eastern Europe answered the call to help create Skopje's first regional #SocInv conference.

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Investment Ready is a unique 4-month program for entrepreneurs from Central – and Eastern Europe creating scalable solutions to societal problems. A cohort of around 15 selected ventures systematically works on their business strategy and builds an attractive investment case.

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