EVEN THE LONGEST JOURNEY BEGINS WITH THE FIRST STEP!
FOUNDATION YOUTH ENTREPRENEURIAL SERVICE
WE OFFER YOUNG PEOPLE IN MACEDONIA AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCESSFULLY STEP INTO THE WORLD OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP. WE HELP THEM MAKE THEIR DREAMS COME THROUGH: FROM AN IDEA TO REALISATION THROUGH ACTION! ACTION TO TURN IDEAS INTO REALITY! BECAUSE AN IDEA WITHOUT ACTION IS MERELY A DREAM!
The 2004 research carried out by the YES project has shown that there is little tradition and experience in the field of entrepreneurship, and even less support for young entrepreneurs. Having identified the need to enhance the entrepreneurial capacity among the young, with a view to boosting the SME sector, and also to bridging the gap between the educational system and the needs of the business community, in 2005 we started the realisation of the Youth Entrepreneurial Service project. We courageously set out to realise the idea of promoting young people aged between 18 and 28 who have an entrepreneurial spirit and of encouraging them to develop their business ideas and helping them make the step that would lead to realisation. The carrier of the project is the YES Foundation, established in close cooperation between SINTEF and Foundation Open Society Institute-Macedonia.
WE BELIEVE IN TO THE CREATIVE POTENTIAL OF YOUNG PEOPLE!
In a community in which the unemployment rate is as high as 37,3%, we present the other side of the medal. We publicly invite all young people who wish to invest their creative potentials in their own future. The Youth Entrepreneurial Service (YES) is the only service of this kind in Macedonia and is unique in its work towards stimulating entrepreneurship among young people. YES works proactively not only to promote and develop entrepreneurship but also to help generate good business ideas which will result in viable start-up businesses.
EDUCATION, YES AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THE SYNERGY OF THESE THREE COMPONENTS MAKES THE IMPOSSIBLE BECOME POSSIBLE!
YES is the pivotal point that links the educational system and the business community.
The YES concept – which involves entrepreneurial training, a business plan competition and a business incubator – will enable young people to start their own businesses that will be realised either within the incubator framework or beyond it.
The mission of YES is to facilitate the involvement of young people into the business community.
T H E YES CONCEPT INVOLVES THREE STEPS:
Step 1: Enterpreneurial course and Business plan competition Step 2: Entering the Incubator Step 3: Exiting the incubator and independent operation of the start-up business
YES gives preference to business ideas. This does not mean that every business idea will finally grow into a start-up business. Therefore, the YES incubator will offer preincubation services consisting of entrepreneurial courses and consultancy services for future entrepreneurs. The fact that 300 applications were received for the entrepreneurial course, and that 120 took active part in the first step of YES illustrates the need for business education In this phase, the participants attended lectures held by domestic and international experts and they were familiarised with the experiences of successful businessmen from Macedonia. This, in turn, provided them with the necessary knowledge of business theory and practical examples they needed for strengthening their business potentials. Such an idea, backed by theory, is ready to enter the business plan competition, which only a step away from the business incubator.
The best business ideas with a growing business potential and entrepreneurial spirit which require support and development funding will be admitted to the incubator. It is anticipated that 25 new firms will make their way into the incubator. The YES incubator will foster safe environment for developing the entrepreneurs’ ideas, facilitate further training in entrepreneurship and assist in matching young people with relevant funding institutions and business partners, as well as provide administrative support.
THE PREMISES OF THE YES INCUBATOR, TOTALLING OF 600M 2 OF OFFICE SPACE, WILL BE LOCATED IN THE REFURBISHED STIV NAUMOV STUDENT STATE CENTER IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF GAZI BABA.
YES believes in the creative potential of young people and their ideas! An idea without action is merely a dream!
The YES project is supported by:
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Secretariat for European Affairs The The The The The The The
Ministry of Economy Ministry of Education and Science Municipality Gazi Baba Macedonian Enterprise Development Foundation (MEDF) Faculty of Mechanical Engineering - Skopje State Student Centre - Skopje Employment Agency - Skopje
Address: Risto Ravanovski 15a 1000 Skopje tel. +389 2 3077 008 www.yesincubator.org.mk SINTEF tel. +389 2 3077 08 ld@mir.org.mk Foundation Open Society Institute - Macedonia tel. +389 2 2444 488 ext.115 msrdan@soros.org.mk
Poddr`ano od Vladata na Norve{ka vo tesna sorabotka so Vladata na Republika Makedonija