1. Enspire Final Conference
29/11/2012
Stavriana A. Kofteros
CEO

2. Intro DIOGENES
 Strategic Services
Facilitate the  Mentoring
creation of  Coaching
 Back Office
innovative  Networking
startups  Funding Access, Funds Sourcing

3. CHECKLIST
Business Incubators, Young / Women Lack of Capital (Seed, Venture
Entrepreneurship Support Entrepreneurship Support Capital)
Lack of start‐up / spin‐off
Offices, Accelerators Programs
creation programs
Low Academic
Innovative Start‐ups, Micro‐funding (LOANS!): Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurial Innovation JEREMIE, PROGRESS Lack of patenting/spinoff
Programs , CyEC procedures and funding
Research Centers, Extremely low research /
Research Universities, innovation funds (0.45% )
world‐class results
Public – first Choice
Changing Culture to Start‐up Cyprus
Open Coffee Cyprus, Cypriot Enterprise Link, Hack Cyprus, …etc

4.  ethnic minorities
 women
 long term unemployed
 low education
 young people in secondary level of education not
influenced enough by entrepreneurial inspiration
 School dropouts
 Poor
 People with disabilities
 Unemployed young graduates (with no experience)

5. especially with economic crisis

6. Lessons from US
• Minorities are a high risk

7. Total unempl. 09/2012. 5.520m young people (under 25) were
Highest increases in Greece (17.8 % to unemployed in the EU‐27 22.8 % (2011 it
25.1 % between July 2011 and July 2012), was 21.7 %)
highest in Greece (55.6 % in July 2012) and
Cyprus (8.5 % to 12.2 %) and Portugal Spain (54.2 %). CY over 25 %.
(13.1 % to 15.7 %).

9. Strategies, Programs Plans, ACTIONS

10.  Axis 1: Enhancing the Competitiveness of the Economy
 Improving entrepreneurship
 AXIS 3: Reinforcing Social Cohesion
 reduction of the gap between the economically disadvantaged
and privileged groups
 AXIS 5: Upgrading the quality of life
 measures for assuring gender equality, for youth (…) will be
promoted
 AXIS 7: Constant Development of Human Capital
 The goal is to use education and training as the key tools that will
contribute to enhancing competitiveness, productivity, innovation
and the country’s dynamics
 AXIS 8: Promoting Balanced Regional and Rural
Development
 Geographical and social cohesion will be promoted

11.  Employment, Human Capital and Social
Cohesion OP
 Sustainable Development and
Competitiveness OP

12.  National Strategy Reports on Social
Protection and Social Inclusion 2008 – 2010
 Increasing employment by obtaining and
expanding work positions, promoting
entrepreneurship, securing employability,
especially of older persons and women

13. 1. Reducing the risk of poverty and social
exclusion
2. Promoting active integration of
vulnerable groups of the population into
the labor market
3. Preventing the social exclusion of children.
4. Modernizing institutions for strengthening
procedures and policies for social cohesion

14.  Policies for promoting active integration to further improve the
employability and integration of vulnerable groups of the
population into the labor market, reinforcing the socio‐economic
position of these groups and facilitating their social inclusion
 Functional restructuring and decentralization of the Public
Employment Services
 Reinforcement and strengthening of their personnel
 vocational training, lifelong learning for persons who are
dependent on welfare benefits, for persons with disabilities,
elderly persons, young persons and women
 Promotion of entrepreneurship among women and
young persons, the creation of new job positions, the
development of the field of social economy, are some
examples of active employment policies

15.  58,9% of total resources of the period 2007‐2013
for actions/ projects to contribute to the
achievement of priorities of the Lisbon Strategy
 Revised Lisbon Strategy Objectives
 Creating a more attractive environment for
investments and work
 Reinforcing development through knowledge and
innovations
 Creating more and better jobs

16.  NSSI: integration /reintegration of third country nationals into Cypriot
society,
 provision of social services to foreigners,
 vocational training of refugees,
 protection of unaccompanied (foreign) minors,
 programs for learning the Greek language for minor applicants for asylum or
children of applicants
 formulation of a new strategy for the effective management of employment of
foreigners are some measures and actions that promote the social inclusion of
foreigners who live and work in Cyprus
 To my knowledge no targeted Entr. Policies for ethnic minorities …
 Examples of Self‐motivated (ethnic Supermarkets, Restaurants)
 In need of policies that teach “how to fish” and not provide the
fish in a platter, to empower and integrate

17.  Women Entrepreneurship Program – MCIT
 women up to 55yrs
 Frozen…..
 Indirect:
 NSSI Priorities for integration/reintegration of
economically inactive women into the labor force,
 the development of care services for children, elderly
persons and other dependent persons
 the promotion of flexicurity and flexible
 arrangements at work, support basic policy measures,
enhancing the reconciliation of family and professional life

18.  Grant Scheme for inclusion in labor force under flexible
terms – MoL (KEPA)
 Attract in the labor force economically inactive
▪ women
▪ older people
▪ People looking for work with flexible schedule because of family
obligations
▪ Unemployed
 Subsidize flexible job positions to encourage employers
 €3m
 CY Operational Plan on Employment, Human Capital and
Social Cohesion 2007‐2013
 Priority 2: Enlargement of labor force and social cohesion
 Target Α: Increase of labor force and women employment

19.  Young Entrepreneurship Program – MCIT
 Structural Funds program
 young people 20‐39 yrs (F&M)
 Launched 3rd Call Nov 26th 2012
 Deadline Feb 28th 2013
 Budget
▪ Manufacturing €140.000
▪ eCommerce, Services, Tourism €100.000
 Funding: 50%

20.  Grant Scheme for training unemployed
graduates, MoL (KEPA)
 Entrepreneurship Development
 Postgraduate Diploma in Management ‐
Mediterranean Institute of Management
MIM, MoL (KEPA)
 For young unemployed graduates (non‐business)
 Combines courses with 6+6 weeks of Business
internship
 Entrepreneurship & Personal Dev. Course

21.  Training for unemployed– HRDA
 Computers, English, Secretarial Skills
 100 hrs of training
 Subsidy: Participants completing program €8/hr
of training
 Placement Program for unemployed – HRDA
 8 week placement programs
 €200/ week of placement
 NOT direct Entrepreneurship

22.  Training for inactive women– HRDA
 Computers, English, Secretarial Skills
 16o hrs of training
 Subsidy: Participants completing program €8/hr
of training
 Placement Program for unemployed – HRDA
 10 week placement programs
 €200/ week of placement
 NOT Entrepreneurship

23. Concerns & Recommendations

24. Wrong Philosophy
1. We talk about third‐party
provided employment
NOT job creation ‐ENTREPRENEURSHIP
2. When we do talk about
entrepreneurship
NOT an across the board approach

25.  Holistically Comprehend Entrepreneurship
 business & job creation
 Mindset
 Actively integrate in teaching/training of
 Entrepreneurship Development
 Entrepreneurial MINDSET
▪ Creativity  drive to innovation
▪ Out of the box thinking
▪ Problem solving
▪ Teamwork

26.  Promote supporting culture
 Embrace business failures as a lesson
 Promote (local) success stories
 Motives for business creation
 Enable entrepreneurship across the board
 Entrepreneurial teachings from kindergarten
 INVEST
 IMPLEMENT

27. BE
THE
CHANGE.
BE
CRAZY.

28. Thank you
skofteros@diogenes.com.cy