Deadline: 27 August 2023
Do you have an innovative business idea for your country of origin that is ready to be implemented? ‘Business Ideas for Development’ supports you in starting your business. GIZ is providing aspiring entrepreneurs and young start-ups with innovative business ideas a budget of up to EUR 7,000 for services that are essential to implement their business idea.
Business Ideas for Development (BID) addresses people with a migration history who are living or have lived in Germany and who would like to start a business in their country of origin. Not any business, but a business that will contribute to positive, sustainable development in the respective country of origin.
BID assists people with a migration history in implementing their business ideas before, during and after setting up their business. They believe that by creating innovative businesses in their countries of origins, these diaspora entrepreneurs can help solve social and ecological problems and contribute to sustainable development, while at the same time stimulating job creation, economic growth and knowledge transfer.
For this year’s start-up competition, they are especially eager to receive business ideas that contribute to gender equality, climate protection and health promotion in the mentioned countries.
This start-up competition is for people who have a sound business idea and a business plan already and who want to make their idea a reality within the next months. It also addresses people who have already founded a business that is still in the start-up phase.
BID currently supports entrepreneurs with a migration history from the following countries: Ecuador, Cameroon, Colombia, Ghana, India, Serbia, Tunisia and Vietnam.
What they offer?
- Nine months of individual support and coaching in Germany and abroad
- Depending on the implementation phase: support in deepening market research, optimising the business plan, or further developing the start-up
- Assistance in finding investors and other useful business contacts
- An inspiring network with many other aspiring entrepreneurs and start-ups from different countries
- If you are selected in this competition, you will also receive a grant of up to EUR 7,000.
Eligibility Criteria
- Here are all the criteria you must meet at a glance:
- You originally come from Ecuador, Cameroon, Colombia, Ghana, India, Serbia, Tunisia or Vietnam.
- You or another member of your founding team currently resides in Germany. This is important because of legal issues in order to conclude a grant contract.
- Your business will create positive impact in your country of origin, because it offers solutions to existing social challenges or environmental problems, and because it creates jobs and therefore prosperity and opens up new prospects.
- At the time of your application, you already have a sound business plan that you intend to implement in your country of origin in the next months.
- At the time of your selection by BID, your business has not yet been officially established. Or you have already founded your business, but still are in the start-up phase.
- Your project appears feasible in light of the prevailing conditions, opportunities and limitations in the target country.
- You must be convinced that you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur and that your technical expertise and skills put you in a position to start and run your own business.
For more information, visit Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
