EU Support Local Change Archives - Europe House

Tag: EU Support Local Change

From Idea to Sustainable Business – 700 Accelerator Hub Opens Up New Opportunities for Local Startups

Posted on by Irena Hristov

How can we create opportunities for young entrepreneurs and help turn good ideas into sustainable businesses? As part of the EU Support – Local Change series, Europe House Tetovo brought a group of secondary school students to 700 Accelerator Hub at South East European University (SEEU) in Tetovo, giving them an opportunity to explore the world of startups.

Launched in December 2024 at SEEU TechPark, 700 Accelerator Hub was established with support from the European Union through the “EU for Economic Growth – EU4EG” project, co-funded by the EU and the Government of Germany. It provides a space for startups, entrepreneurship and innovation in the Polog region, connecting local talent with expertise, mentoring and business networks.

The Hub focuses on supporting young people and women in entrepreneurship, as well as early-stage startups, particularly those developing technological, digital and green solutions. Its programme offers 12 weeks of training, mentoring and networking opportunities, while startups may also be eligible for co-investment.

More than just a workspace, 700 Accelerator Hub provides an environment where ideas are shared and developed, collaboration is encouraged, and innovative solutions receive the support they need to grow into sustainable businesses.

Through the EU Support – Local Change series, Europe House Tetovo is exploring successful local initiatives with young people from the region, highlighting the tangible results of European support for sustainable economic growth.

From a Successful Wine Story to New Ideas: How EU Support Drives Local Development

Posted on by Irena Hristov

How does European support contribute to the growth of local businesses? To find out, we took on the Wine Discovery Challenge and, together with students from “Jovche Teslichkov” Secondary School of Economics – Veles, set out to explore Dane Hermes Wine Estate in the heart of the Tikveš wine region, in Negotino.

During this educational visit, organised by Europe House Veles, winery owner Dane Jovanov introduced the students to the winemaking process and the day-to-day operations of the winery.

This family-owned winery is among the local businesses that have received direct support through the IPARD Programme 2021–2027, “European Opportunities for Macedonian Agriculture and Rural Development”, which enables agricultural producers and businesses to invest in modernisation, improve production and expand their capacities.

The visit gave students an opportunity to see first-hand how a family business operates and how EU support can contribute to its growth. But the learning experience did not end there.

Divided into teams, the students were challenged to think like real entrepreneurs: to come up with a new non-alcoholic grape-based product, complete with their own concept, branding and market placement strategy.

The result? Three creative ideas: grape-based body scrub, gummy sweets made from grapes and grape crisps. They showed how a traditional agricultural product can be given new value and purpose when knowledge, creativity and entrepreneurial thinking come together.

The visit demonstrated that EU support for local development goes beyond modernising production facilities and financing new investments. It also helps connect education with the business sector, giving young people the opportunity to learn from local producers, develop an entrepreneurial mindset and turn their ideas into potential new products.

 

Subscribe To our newsletter!