Domestic startups that are at an early stage of development, that already have a product (service), as well as an offer for marketing their products, will receive a free mentoring program developed by the Fund for Innovation and Technology Development and PwC North Macedonia.
The main goal of the mentoring program The Catalyst is to strengthen the capacity of startups on topics and areas that are important for everyday work, gaining new knowledge and skills, as well as facilitating access to potential investors.
“This year we had a series of activities aimed at transforming the startup ecosystem. For us, entrepreneurship mentoring is of great importance, through which they have a chance to learn how to cope with business challenges, develop leadership skills and promote entrepreneurial spirit, and therefore for active FITD users we have been providing mentoring by domestic experts for years. The development of the new mentoring program The Catalyst is a great example of cooperation between a state institution and the private sector in order for domestic startups to gain skills and knowledge that will make them ready for world markets” said Kosta Petrov, director of the Fund for Innovation and Technological Development.
Starting from project management, as a basis for good management, to product development, finance and access to investments and preparation of “pitch decks”, startups will have the opportunity through interactive lectures to learn more about these topics. The program will be implemented by experts from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), as well as external experts with extensive experience in relevant fields as their contribution to the startup community and the business community in general.
“The potential for cooperation between corporations and startups is huge. For this cooperation to work, both parties need to treat it as a partnership, be open to learning and accept differences. PwC is a big supporter of the startup ecosystem all over the world through various programs, trainings and enabling startups to access various sources of funding. It is a privilege that we will enable this here together with FITD. The Catalyst program is a small part of our contribution to the startup community and we hope that it will help the participating startups to receive valuable information and “know-how” for their and our further development ” said Dragan Davitkov, Director at PwC North Macedonia.
The lectures will last from 22.11 to 14 December this year, from 18:00 to 20:00 on the Zoom platform and will cover 8 different topics that are key to the development of a business:
Anyone interested in the program will be able to find more info and apply from 9.11 to 18.11.2021 until 14:00 at the following link: https://fitr.mk/mentor-program-for-early-stage-startups/. Due to the limited number of participants, the registration will take place on the principle of “first come, first served”.