You can too! How the EU supports women entrepreneurs in Georgia

I want to start my own business, but I’m not sure my idea would work. Who can advise me?

The European Union is very active in supporting the development of new businesses, particularly among women and particularly in the regions of Georgia, often with a focus on rural and disadvantaged areas. So don’t think that you need to be in Tbilisi, to have a higher education or an established business in order to access EU support – on the contrary! 

The EU supports a number of programmes and business support facilities that provide know how, practical help, and even funding to help you start your business.

Here are some examples:

Since 2013, the ENPARD programme has provided information, training, advice and financial support in the areas of agriculture and rural development, benefitting thousands of farmers, with bottom-up planning through Local Action Groups. The latest phase of the programme ended last year, but check out the list of Local Action Groups supported by the programme that can assist you across the country.

Other programmes, like Inclusive Growth through Sustainable and Green Business Practices – implemented by World Vision Georgia – and GREEN Guria – implemented by the Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN) – also support professional development and empowerment for women in vulnerable rural communities. Check out the Facebook pages of World Vision and CENN for opportunities under these programmes and others.

The Mayors for Economic Growth programme also supports local authorities in developing economic growth and job creation. Among the dozens of local authorities that have signed up to the initiative in Georgia, two – Kutaisi and Batumi – are running  major projects including enhanced support for entrepreneurship and innovation.

In addition, the EU4Youth programme has launched a series of projects aimed at enhancing youth employment and entrepreneurship, including mentoring, training programmes and apprenticeships. The previous wave of EU4Youth projects saw hundreds of skills development activities carried out in Georgia (75% of beneficiaries were women), as well as apprenticeships and internships for young people, training and grants to launch new business ideas, and the creation of three rural innovation knowledge hubs in Gori, Ninotsminda and Akhmeta. Follow the EU4Youth page for upcoming opportunities.

Please note that upcoming developments in the legal and regulatory environment of Georgia may affect the implementation of these programmes and activities supported under it.

I already have a business, but my biggest challenge as a businesswoman is to take it to the next step: is there any EU support available for me?

If you are looking to develop your business, advice and funding are available through the EU4Business initiative, which supports private sector development across Georgia.

Specifically, the EBRD’s Women in Business programme offers loans, training and advisory services that are specifically tailored to women-led businesses. The programme works with local partners Bank of Georgia and TBC Bank to offer dedicated financing to help women entrepreneurs, with products that specifically address the needs of women-led SMEs. Visit their website or stop by your local branch for more information.

Apart from providing loans, Women in Business offers training and subsidised advisory services that are specifically tailored to women-led businesses.

Programmes such as Inclusive Access to Markets (IA2M) – implemented by UNDP – help women-led businesses strengthen their competitiveness and digital presence. Meanwhile, projects like Inclusive Growth through Sustainable and Green Business Practices – implemented by World Vision – and QUIS – Better Goods and Services promote sustainability and quality standards in women-led ventures, while GEFF in Georgia provides green economy-focused advisory services. To learn more or receive support, don’t hesitate to reach out to the implementing partners of these programmes directly.

Small business loans, ranging from micro-finance to major investment loans, are also available through a number of other EU4Business programmes, working through partner banks. Visit the EU4Business website for information about all the current loans and grants available to small businesses in Georgia.

Small loans (average size €14,300) are also available to the smallest businesses (less than 10 employees) in sectors such as agriculture, industry, trade and services through the European Fund for South East Europe (EFSE).

Subsidised consultancy services are also available from the EBRD’s Advice for Small Businesses programme, in areas including strategy, marketing, operations, quality management, energy efficiency, financial management and more. The programme can connect SMEs to local consultants and international advisers who can help transform a huge range of businesses. The EBRD supports businesses from many industries, such as food and beverages, wholesale and retail distribution and construction and engineering. Almost 30 per cent of the projects supported are outside Tbilisi.

If you have an active social enterprise, you can also apply for support from Actio,  an impact investment fund for social enterprises in Georgia, operated and managed by the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG). The fund was developed as a part of the EU-funded, Collaborate For Impact project, which sought to develop social entrepreneurship and social investment in the Eastern Partnership countries.  Actio aims at empowering social enterprises to scale up their business, as well as increase their social and environmental impact. The fund offers financial support, as well as organisational development services tailored to the needs of social enterprises, such as strategic management, finances, marketing, sales, etc. 

Please note that upcoming developments in the legal and regulatory environment of Georgia may affect the implementation of these programmes and activities supported under it.

I’m not sure I want to start a business, but I want to learn new skills: is there something for me from the EU?

Training and skills are a key priority of EU support in Georgia, and the EU has provided considerable funding for Vocational Education and Training (VET). 

The EU-funded Skills for Success project helped to set up a Youth Opportunities Online Platform –  https://youthplatform.gov.ge  – which gathers in one place all available education, training and employment opportunities for young people, whether offered by state, NGO or international partners. The project, which ended in 2023 and was implemented by Save the Children, also created Youth Innovation Labs in the regions, where young people are able to initiate business ideas with the support of mentors.

Local Hubs for Skills Development – LINKS Centres were also set up in four regions of Georgia – Adjara, Guria, Kvemo Kartli, and Shida Karltli – as a part of the ‘Local Investments in Networks for Knowledge and Skill-share (LINKS), financed and supported by the European Union, in the framework of the Skills4Jobs programme. The centres offer young people aged 15-29 a number of activities to develop market-relevant skills and competences, including digital and computer literacy, English language courses, key entrepreneurial competences, and funding of social and socially responsible start-ups.

Supporting digital skills for women, the EU-funded ‘Women Mentorship in Tech Programmes’ initiative (2024-26), implemented by the Business and Technology University (BTU), aims to bridge the skills gap in the ICT sector, by developing new courses, intensive five-month teaching/learning and mentorship programmes, and facilitating partnerships with public and private stakeholders to create more employment opportunities in the fast-growing technology sector and promote gender equality.  Check out BTU on Facebook for upcoming opportunities.

As part of the project, additional career development activities are planned for the beneficiaries, along with sessions focused on improving entrepreneurship skills. 

For young women under the age of 30, the EU offers exciting opportunities under its Erasmus + youth programmes. You can join the thousands of young Georgians who have already learned new skills and developed valuable experience by participating in youth projects or volunteering for work abroad under the European Solidarity Corps. 

And if you are in higher education, Erasmus + offers student exchanges and post-graduate programmes in Europe. Find out more about all the opportunities and how to apply.

Please note that upcoming developments in the legal and regulatory environment of Georgia may affect the implementation of these programmes and activities supported under it.

Are there women like me, who started their own business with EU help?

There are more than you can imagine!

In 2024, 40,801 SMEs were supported through the EU4Business Initiative in Georgia, generating an extra €261.4 million in income and 51,976 new jobs, growing their turnover by 12.6%, and increasing their exports by 12.6% as a result. Almost a third of those businesses were women-owned!

Whom can I ask for help?

For information and contacts about projects and funding opportunities supported under the EU4Business initiative, visit the EU4Business portal for Georgia. The website includes comprehensive details of loan and grant opportunities and business development services. 

Follow the eu4georgia.eu website for details and links to actions and opportunities across the full range of EU-funded projects, in particular its dedicated opportunities section.

For education opportunities, contact the national Erasmus + office in Georgia and for youth opportunities follow Erasmus + youth programmes on Facebook.

Please note that upcoming developments in the legal and regulatory environment of Georgia may affect the implementation of these programmes and activities supported under it.