---
title: "Chisinau rolls out business grants for youth and women "
url: https://moldova1.md/p/87022/chisinau-rolls-out-business-grants-for-youth-and-women
published: 2026-10-06T12:45:00Z
language: en
author: "Nicoleta Borodin"
section: "Economic"
source: moldova1.md
---

# Chisinau rolls out business grants for youth and women 

> Aspiring entrepreneurs, youth, and women in Chisinau can access three ongoing grant programmes offering up to €50,000 in non-repayable funding, municipal authorities announced on Tuesday.

![](https://storage.moldova1.md/images/eadcad98-4cdf-412f-bc84-2a9c45e52ce0.jpg)

Aspiring entrepreneurs, youth, and women in Chisinau can access three ongoing grant programmes offering up to €50,000 in non-repayable funding, municipal authorities announced on Tuesday.

The initiative aims to curb brain drain and stimulate the local economy by supporting viable business plans across several sectors.

**Targeted funding calls**

The municipal “Start-up for Youth and Migrants” programme provides grants of up to 250,000 MDL (approx. €13,000), requiring a 30% financial contribution from beneficiaries. The call also includes Ukrainian refugees established in the capital.

A separate initiative, the EU-funded Eurobridge project, provides grants of up to €50,000 (approx. 1 million MDL) for digital innovation hubs and business clusters, fostering partnerships across Moldova, Ukraine, and Romania.

Additionally, women operating in the agrifood sector can apply for grants of up to $5,000 (approx. 90,000 MDL) through support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Moldova, requiring zero co-financing.

*“A business requires more than just money; it requires mentorship, entrepreneurial skills, and long-term investment,”* said Petru Gurgurov, Director of the Chisinau Municipal Center for Entrepreneurship Development (CMDA).

**Competitive selection and long-term mentorship**

Financing is awarded competitively, with applications evaluated independently by a specialized committee. The calls remain open for approximately one month to allow applicants to prepare rigorous business proposals.

Officials target backing 70 enterprises across the three calls in 2026, with plans to expand the European track to more than 110 initiatives in subsequent phases.

Successful applicants receive ongoing support beyond the initial cash disbursement. Municipal teams provide monitoring and mentorship for two years, while purchased assets remain bound by strict operational rules.

*“For every leu invested from municipal funds, roughly 3.5 lei are generated in the local economy,”* Gurgurov said, noting that prior programmes funded 70 businesses, invested over 41 million MDL, and created 600 jobs.

Translation by **Iurie Tataru**

Programele sunt destinate inclusiv tinerilor aflați la început de drum, pentru care finanțarea poate reprezenta prima experiență antreprenorială.

*„Statisticile arată că mulți tineri pleacă, iar când analizăm motivele plecării, se invocă în mare parte lipsa locurilor de muncă bine plătite. În acest sens, tinerilor aflați în căutarea unui loc de muncă trebuie să le oferim oportunități reale de a-și crea propria afacere, oferindu-le în același timp educație financiară și antreprenorială. Iar atunci când apare propria lor afacere, tinerii aleg să rămână și să-și dezvolte viitorul acasă. Pentru marea majoritate, cel mai probabil, aceasta va fi o primă experiență”*, a explicat Petru Gurgurov.

[Video: https://trm.blob.core.windows.net/photos/9608f107-b43d-4b5e-829c-ad2d62e0f37c.jpg](https://original.trm.md/video/definst/MP4:2026/10/6/antreprenori.mp4/playlist.m3u8)

**RELATED COVERAGE**

* [Moldova allocates €15.3m in grants for SME development and green transition in 2026](https://moldova1.md/p/68903/moldova-allocates-15-3m-in-grants-for-sme-development-and-green-transition-in-2026)
* [Moldova offers up to €15,000 to help unemployed launch businesses](https://moldova1.md/p/85529/moldova-offers-up-to-15-000-to-help-unemployed-launch-businesses)
* [Moldova's ODA injects €4.65m into local businesses during H1 2026](https://moldova1.md/p/80105/moldova-s-oda-injects-4-65m-into-local-businesses-during-h1-2026)
* [Moldova fuels small business growth with €480,000 fund for new entrepreneurs](https://moldova1.md/p/68884/moldova-fuels-small-business-growth-with-480-000-fund-for-new-entrepreneurs)
* [Moldova backs green energy communities with $450,000](https://moldova1.md/p/86419/moldova-backs-green-energy-communities-with-450-000)