ODA Director: Business grants were integrated to ensure easier access to funding.
Starting this year, entrepreneurs in Moldova have easier access to funding through grants, after the Government integrated 10 national priorities into a single financial product. The measure aims to simplify procedures and encourage new business creation.
Until now, Moldova’s ten priority areas were managed through separate grant programs, each with distinct criteria and requirements. From now on, entrepreneurs will be able to apply through a unified framework, adapted to the government’s objectives for each sector, said Vadim Codreanu, Director of the Organization for Entrepreneurship Development (ODA), during Moldova 1’s “Banii” program.
“Eligibility requirements differ depending on the program’s objectives. If the goal is to help young people start businesses, the criteria focus on age and lack of entrepreneurial experience. In the case of women’s entrepreneurship, the objective is to encourage women’s involvement in business, and access to grants depends on belonging to that category,” Codreanu explained.
Although entrepreneurs can apply to multiple programs, there is a funding limit for de minimis aid — a maximum of 5 million lei over three consecutive years. In other cases, beneficiaries may apply for funding as often as they wish.
In addition to grants, the state also offers other forms of support: training, mentoring, and consulting. Each year, more than 2,000 entrepreneurs take part in training sessions led by specialists from various fields. There are also dedicated mentoring programs, including those focused on business greening and supporting women who wish to become entrepreneurs.
Another key pillar of the support policy is access to financing through loans. The state promotes long-term lending by compensating interest rates, offering financial products with grace periods and fixed or reduced interest rates, and through the Credit Guarantee Fund.
This fund partially covers the risks assumed by banks when lending to entrepreneurs. According to official data, the total value of loans guaranteed through this mechanism amounts to 1.3 billion lei, representing about 11–12% of all business loans currently issued on the Moldovan market.
Manufacturing, agri-food, and renewable energy – the most attractive sectors for investment in Moldova
Although risk and attractiveness vary according to each entrepreneur’s perception, statistics show a clear trend: manufacturing industries, especially food processing, are among the top preferences. Also, value-added agriculture and investments in processing lines for primary production are increasingly in demand, Codreanu added.
“It’s hard to directly link risk and attractiveness, since it depends on each entrepreneur’s risk appetite. However, we’re seeing growing interest in manufacturing, the agri-food sector, tourism, and innovation. Many businesses are developing innovative products and solutions aimed at international markets, supported by accelerators and industry associations,” said the ODA Director.
Another growing sector is energy — particularly energy efficiency and renewable energy. These fields are considered cross-sectoral, applicable to nearly all branches of the economy, which makes them attractive both to entrepreneurs and investors.
