The Ministry of Economy and Energy and the United Nations Development Programme launch their new joint initiative "Promotion of Innovative Participation among Young People in Bulgaria - TECHNOSTART" with the opening of the project's National Grant Award Competition on July 1, 2008. Candidates eligible to apply for grant assistance are individuals that are Bulgarian citizens up to 29 years of age who are university students in the calendar 2008 or complete their bachelor's or master's degree studies in the calendar 2008 in an accredited higher education institution incorporated under the Higher Education Act. Additionally, an eligible candidate may not be a company owner. In 2008 TECHNOSTART will provide grant assistance to up to 7 micro and small youth technology companies. Each approved candidate may be awarded a grant financing of up to BGN 20 000 based on the approved business plans whereas the prospective entrepreneurs shall provide mandatory financial and/or in-kind contribution equivalent to 10 per cent of the requested grant financing. This year's budget of TECHNOSTART amounts to BGN 168 000 and is provided by the Ministry of Economy and Energy.

Start-up technology companies are eligible to participate in the project according to the Classification of Economic Activities 2008 of the National Statistical, active in:

Sector С - Processing Industry
Sector J - Creation and distribution of information and creative products; Communications, only sections:

 

• Section 61 - Communications
• Section 62 - IT activities, only position 62.01 - Computer programming
• Section 63 - Information services.

Projects from the following sectors are not eligible to participate:

• Production of agricultural products;
• Fishing industry;
• Forestry;
• Coal mining;
• Production of beverages of high alcoholic content and spirits;
• Production of tobacco products;
• Production of weapons and military equipment.

Candidates should fill out and submit 2 copies of the project application documents.

Project application documents

• Application form (download here Zaiavka za uchastie);
• Business plan (download here Formuliar za biznes plan; Finansovi prognozi) with attachments;
• Declaration by the applicant that he/she is not a company owner and that persons related to the applicant within the meaning of § 1 of the Supplementary Provisions of the Commercial Act do not own a company replicating the activities of the prospective business (download here Deklaratzia);
• Statement on obligations outstanding or no obligations issued by the National Revenue Agency;
• For university students - university enrollment certificate;
• For university graduates - copy of higher education diploma or document issued by the higher education institution certifying the graduation of higher education.

The copies may be handed in person or sent via post (post stamp is valid) to the following address:
Sofia 1784, 131 Tsarigradsko shose blvd, 3rd floor, PO Box 160
Project "Job Opportunities through Business Support" (JOBS)

The deadline for submission of the project application documents is November 11, 2008.

TECHNOSTART is a component within JOBS Project therefore the prospective entrepreneurs may plan for additional financing of up to BGN 30 000 to buy machinery and equipment under the JOBS Project financial leasing scheme. The start-up companies may count on long-term mentorship and monitoring on behalf of JOBS Business Centres in terms of grant assistance and leasing adoption.

Download the Guidelines to Applicants and Methodological Guidelines on Business Plan Design here: Nasoki za kandidatstvane_TechnoStart_2008; Metodicheski ukazania_TechnoStart_2008

Download the Grant Award Contract here: Dogovor_ TechnoStart_2008

For more information:
Press centre of the Ministry of Economy and Energy
phone: 940 74 69, 940 72 97
e-mail: public@mее.government.bg

TECHNOSTART Launch Supports Youth Space Project

The Ministry of Economy and Energy and the United Nations Development Programme are launching a new joint pilot project called "Promotion of Innovative Participation among Young People in Bulgaria" - TECHNOSTART. The new initiative is part of JOBS Project and kicks off by supporting a high-school team from Varna which was awarded second prize in the NASA Space Settlement Contest. Project funds will be used to cover travel and participation expenses for 11 students and their teacher, who will receive the prize at the Annual International Space Development Conference in Washington, DC, from 29 May - 1 June 2008. The collective project was designed during astronomy classes at the Varna Astronomical Observatory and Planetarium.

The new project has a 2008 budget of BGN 222,000 provided by the Ministry of Economy and Energy. The initiative aims to encourage young people who have relevant backgrounds and innovative ideas to start their own business, as well as to draw public attention to the success and extraordinary achievements of young people in the field of innovation. The project is expected to finance the start-up of 7 micro and small technology companies owned and run by young people. Based on business plan approval, young talents will be able to get BGN 20,000 grants for their business. Prospective entrepreneurs will have to provide a personal financial contribution to the enterprise equal to 10 per cent of the grant.

Application procedures and grant application papers will be posted on the websites of the Ministry of Economy and Energy and JOBS Project in early June.

In addition to grants, the future entrepreneurs will be able to use financial leases up to BGN 30,000 in order to buy equipment under the JOBS Project Financial Leasing Scheme. The nascent companies will benefit from long-term mentoring and monitoring by the JOBS Business Centers in the process of grant and lease utilization.

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NASA and the US National Space Society run a Space Settlement Contest every year. In 2008 Bulgarian students took part in the contest for the first time and their project was ranked in the second place. The students take astronomy classes at the Varna Astronomical Observatory and Planetarium where their tutor is Ms. Veselka Radeva, PhD. The eleven participants are 10-through-12 graders from three schools in Varna - the School of Mathematics, Secondary School No. 5, and the Vocational School of Building, Architecture and Geodetics.

The team developed the TANGRA Space Colony Project with a concept to build a space settlement for 10,000 inhabitants who will live and work there. The students came up with interesting designs and structures for the colony, including life support systems. The concept also addressed the TANGRA energy issues and offered innovative solutions. The participants penned a constitution for the colony based on the national constitutions of Bulgaria, France and the USA. They produced a flag and an emblem, and they decided to use a Latin dictum as the motto for the colony: SIC ITUR AD ASTRA ("Thus do we reach the stars").

TECHNOSTART will provide BGN 54,000 to sponsor the team's travel and participation in the conference in Washington, DC, where the 11 talented young Bulgarians will get their trophy from NASA.

The TANGRA Space Settlement Project is developed by:
Maya Petkova
Inna Bozhinova
Vergil Yotov
Pavel Sofroniev
Krikor Krikoryan
Diana Sofronieva
Anna Milenkova
Dobryana Koleva
Dimiter Anastasov
Ivaylo Dimitrov
Ulker Mehmed
Teacher: Veselka Radeva,
Varna National Astronomical Observatory and Planetarium