The “NETWORK OF GREEK CITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT” (D.E.P.AN. ), participates as a Partner in the Project “INNOVATIVE BUSINESS INFORMATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS IN HERBS PRODUCTION AND ECO-TOURISM” with the acronym “FLOREO” in the framework of the Cooperation Programme “INTERREG V – A Greece – Bulgaria” of the 2014-2020 programming period which is co-financed by 85% from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and 15% from national resources.
The partnership of the project consists of the following bodies/organisations:
“ZDRAVETS” COMPANY (Lead Partner) – Bulgaria
NETWORK OF GREEK CITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT (D.E.P.AN.) – Greece
CLUSTER VARNA BUSINESS CONSULT – Bulgaria
The main objective of the project is the creation of an entrepreneurial network in the cross-border region that will design and implement an innovative cutting-edge business model to promote entrepreneurial culture and create conditions for the mobilisation of young people for entrepreneurial activity in the cross-border region. It will help to improve the factors influencing business success, thus ensuring long-term favourable results for businesses focused on agri-food and eco-tourism, both strategic sectors for the regional economy in the rural cross-border region.
The specific objectives of the project are to:
- encourage existing and future entrepreneurs in the cross-border region and contribute to increasing levels of wealth, employment, income and prosperity
- transform competitive economic sectors and actors into key drivers of sustainable and inclusive regional development.
- Help small entrepreneurs develop skills, teach them how to manage their businesses, create the necessary supporting infrastructure and promote their organisations to larger networks.
FLOREO aims to increase the motivation, knowledge and skills of entrepreneurs, especially women, to innovate, create and take risks when starting a business. It will facilitate the existing business activities of SMEs in the cross-border region. By launching new routes for start-ups and organising support actions for existing SMEs with a particular focus on herbal production and alternative tourism, FLOREO will contribute to the creation of appropriate business and information infrastructure to serve the cross-border region. Here, future entrepreneurs can develop and test their business ideas in a simulated and real environment, use business support services related to the cultivation and supply of unique herbs and flowers that can only be found in the Greece-Bulgaria border region and develop and test ideas in the field of alternative tourism, such as herbal packages and ecotourism packages.
In order to achieve the above objective, the following actions are envisaged in summary:
- the creation of a support and business information centre
- building a cross-border portfolio of experienced trainers and consultants.
- creation of educational and other support material
- providing educational and other support services to project beneficiaries
- implementation of publicity and communication actions.
- administration and management of the project
The added value of the project will be the better geographical concentration of resources and the intangible benefits of cooperation in the cross-border area – exchange of good practices, capacity building, common strategies, as well as gaining respect and trust between partners and access to wider cooperation networks.
FLOREO contributes to the achievement of specific macro-regional objectives (Black Sea, Mediterranean and Danube), national and regional strategies by jointly promoting business and entrepreneurship and increasing opportunities for cross-border trade and modernisation in the agricultural and related sectors.
Therefore, from the above, the necessity and the feasibility of the provision of services entitled “ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES” of the project “INNOVATIVE BUSINESS INFORMATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS IN HERBS PRODUCTION AND ECO-TOURISM” with the acronym “FLOREO” is documented, in the framework of the Cooperation Programme “INTERREG V – A Greece – Bulgaria” of the 2014-2020 programming period, co-financed by 85% by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and 15% by national funds for the year 2023.