The MEDSt@rts calls for sub-grants, is aimed to identify and select 15 aspiring entrepreneurs in each target country to be accompanied and developed.
The project seeks to develop complementary support measures for innovative companies. The aspiring entrepreneurs selected will be involved, according to the steps and methods detailed in the call, in an entrepreneurial path of training and accompaniment, along with the allocation of the sub-grant for the implementation of their business idea.

The call will support the selected projects in a structured process, guaranteeing the following steps: 
1.    Training (joint training program of business incubation, web seminars, mentoring service);
2.    Field training (thanks to the active support of local groups) to improve skills, abilities and entrepreneurial aptitude;
3.    Final financial advice;
4.    Financial subsidy.

This intervention will contribute to the creation of an environment conducive to entrepreneurship, innovation and employment.

Unemployed young people (18-40 years) and companies that have started their entrepreneurial activity for a maximum of 4 years, whose partners or owner (in case of sole proprietorship) have an average age between 18 and 40 years. A preference will be accorded to individuals between the age of 24 and 35. The business idea will have to be related to the following sectors: digital, agri-food, eco-design, craftsmanship, cultural heritage, tourism and personal care services.  

Due to the current difficult situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Steering Committee decided to broaden the target sectors originally considered, adding the abovementioned sectors of cultural heritage, tourism and personal care services, which have been particularly affected by the current crisis.

EUR 750.000,00

Each country involved in the project publishes a call for the awarding of 15 sub-grants, for a total of 75 sub-grants awarded. The maximum amount of each sub-grant is EUR 10.000,00.

The sub-grants will be allocated in all the project countries (i.e. Italy, Greece, Tunisia, Palestine and Lebanon) and the amount will be equally distributed among them: EUR 150.000,00 each.

The sub-grants will be used to implement the actions detailed in each beneficiary’s business plan, which will be an annex to the sub-grant contract. The actions will be the implementation of innovative business ideas in the abovementioned sectors.

Applicants can submit more than one application under the same call but cannot receive more than one grant. Single applications as well as team applications are allowed.
The procedure will will be done in various phases, carried out with the help of psychologists and an especially appointed evaluation committee, composed of experts and professionals in the field of entrepreneurship and support to start-ups.

After a general administrative control of all the applications received, 25 candidates per country will be selected according to the following procedure. 
-    In the first phase, the evaluation committee will assign a score from 0 to 80 to the proposed business idea, according to the evaluation grid published on the call. Candidates who obtain a score of at least 50 points will go to the second phase
-    In the second phase, candidates will be interviewed by psychologists, with the aim of assessing their motivations, attitudes and expectations, and will be given a score from 1 to 20 based on the results of the interviews. The sum of the scores will result in the final ranking, from which the first 25 candidates per country will be selected.

After the pre-treatment and the field training of the 25 candidates, the intermediate selection will reduce the participants to 15 per country. With a similar procedure of that of the first selection, the evaluation committee will assign each participant a score from 0 to 80, based on an evaluation grid published on the call. Interviews carried out by psychologists will be aimed at assessing the intentions to continue the course as well as the expectations of the candidates. The resulting score from 1 to 20 will be added to the score obtained from the evaluation committee and the 15 candidates with the highest score will be selected in each country.

At the end of the training path, a final selection will be carried out in order to determine the allocation of the financial support.

Calls closed

Laura Casta
Fondazione di Sardegna, Project Manager
347 9794778 - medstarts@gmail.com

Pietro Disi 
Fondazione di Sardegna, Communication Manager 
345 9253524 - medstarts.communication@gmail.com

http://www.enicbcmed.eu/projects/medstarts