Moldova small businesses scale up through ODA modernization grants
Small businesses across Moldova are scaling operations from local workshops to industrial-grade production lines, fueled by mentorship and funding from the Organization for Entrepreneurship Development (ODA), the country's state agency for business growth.
By securing non-reimbursable grants, local entrepreneurs are replacing outdated tools with modern machinery and mastering advanced marketing and management strategies.
In Cojușna, central Moldova, Victoria Valeria Baciu has transformed her apple vinegar business. A grant of 190,000 MDL (approximately $10,500) allowed her to install a professional bottling line, replacing a slow, manual process that previously drained the company's time and labor resources.
"We now produce 4,000 liters per week and are looking to expand further," Baciu explained. "Before the new equipment, bottling was a bottleneck—it was labor-intensive and inefficient. Today, the process is seamless."
Other entrepreneurs, like Ecaterina Alavatchi, are using ODA’s mentorship to bridge the gap between traditional crafts and modern tourism. Alavatchi and her husband are developing a guesthouse that will double as a cultural hub for heritage workshops, such as traditional egg painting. Mentorship helped her pivot from a vague concept to a focused business plan, identifying the most urgent investments needed to welcome international tourists.
The ODA program specifically targets the manufacturing sector, including wood processing, food production, and construction materials. According to Olesea Draguțan, Head of Beneficiary Relations at ODA, the program offers grants of up to 500,000 MDL ($28,000), requiring only a 30% contribution from the business owner.
This initiative is part of a broader push to strengthen Moldova’s industrial base. So far, over 50 entrepreneurs have tapped into 18.4 million MDL in total funding. The agency aims to expand this support to 200 manufacturers by 2027, signaling a significant shift toward a more modernized, competitive local economy.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
