Norwegian Grants for female entrepreneurs

On March 5, 2020, at the Novotel Centrum hotel in Warsaw, women entrepreneurs interested in funding in the "Entrepreneurship Development and Innovation" program (Small Grant Scheme) met with mentors from Poland and Norway.

The 20-minute meetings were aimed at selecting a mentor who would provide mentoring services to the beneficiary if her project receives funding.

- Each of the 15 mentors (including 6 from Norway), made a one-minute introduction during which they presented their previous professional successes. A number of profiles made a great impression on participants. Following presentations, meetings between applicants and mentors took place. Women entrepreneurs pitched their projects to mentors while mentors shared their ideas on how they could provide assistance in business development.

We saw great commitment among participants - says Sylwia Banaszkiewicz, an expert in the Entrepreneurship Support Department, PARP.

The Small Grants Scheme is a part of the Norwegian Grants Scheme implemented by PARP (Norwegian Financial Mechanism for 2014-2021). Women who own a company or co-own it and have a right of representation may receive up to EUR 200 000 to formulate or develop and implement an innovation in one of the following areas:

• environmentally friendly technologies,
• technologies improving the quality of life,
• innovation in marine or inland waterways.

Services provided by mentors are 100% financed by a grant, i.e. no own contribution is required to cover the cost of mentor. In addition, if the applicant chooses a mentor from Norway, her project can earn additional points in the grant competition as a partner project.