Link Up! Serbia II

Primary activities planned to achieve the outputs of the project can be summarised as follows:

1. Mentoring  of small and medium enterprises for facilitating a more successful internationalization to DACH markets;
2. Creating and piloting of a ‘Diaspora Business Hub’ to support the diaspora in investing and identifying partners in Serbia;
3. Providing support through  technical assistance to cities and municipalities to create and promote investment opportunities;
4. Developing an  online business platform to digitise and scale cooperation between Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Serbia with diaspora;
5. Organizing result-based business meetings with the business diaspora in Serbia (Business Diaspora Days), Austria (Investment Conference), Germany (B2Bs), and Switzerland (Business Summit).

The project aims at facilitating the improvement of skills of domestic entrepreneurs and competitiveness of small and medium enterprises, strengthen capacities of Local Self-Governments (LSGs), Regional Development Agencies, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia to build stronger and more successful mechanisms for business engagement of the diaspora. The project will also ensure an expansion of diaspora engagement through the transfer of knowledge, impact investments, and access to business networks.

Outputs:

Output 1: Improving competitiveness and capacity for diaspora business engagement

Output 1.1: Improving competitiveness and overcoming challenges through mentorship

Using identified key mentorship programmes, at least 130 SMEs raised competitiveness for entering DACH markets through diaspora cooperation, while 150 mentees from vulnerable groups were supported to overcome specific challenges. Two policy proposals and programs on mentorship for internationalization and support for vulnerable groups developed and submitted to the Government and LSGs.

Output 1.2: Improving stakeholder capacities for attracting diaspora investments and business development.

A ‘Diaspora Business Hub’ (DBH), as an integrated stakeholder service network and framework for attracting diaspora investments and business development, developed and piloted through the provision of technical assistance for stakeholders and mentorship. By linking domestic and diaspora companies and facilitating cooperation, the DBH will support the internationalization of local businesses and foster diaspora investments in Serbia.

Output 2: Significantly expanded business cooperation between Serbian SMEs and DACH markets through scaling the use of online platform services and information sections, as well as from implementing business operations and competitive events in Serbia and in DACH countries for encouraging DDI and FDI

Output 2.1: Facilitating direct and sustainable market and value chain access

Business partnerships, investments, and market access for 30 SMEs and 30 targeted vulnerable group members are realized through the online platform services.

Output 2.2: Encourage Diaspora Direct Investment (DDI) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) through business engagement

Four complementary operations in encouraging DDI and business cooperation (targeting investments, matchmaking, crowdfunding promotion, and outsourcing).

If you would like to have more information, please visit the project website