A total of ten startup companies will place their innovative products on the shelves throughout the Tinex markets, within the challenge “Startup Heroes: From a super idea to a supermarket”, implemented by the Fund for Innovation and Technology Development in collaboration with the corporate partner “Tinex Markets” and supported by the Program for Increasing Market Employability (IME) of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and Factor Trust – financial factoring company.
The selected products of the companies: Baking Factory, Eval, Matrioshka, Plant Engineering, Pro-Fitr VIS, Kinado, Heltish, Skup, Pivara Bakreski and Fila Kozmetik will have the opportunity for the first time to be placed on the market’s shelves.
“Together with our partners we realized an important challenge through which ten domestic startup companies were provided production and commercial placement of their innovative products, which gives them a great opportunity to increase sales and their idea to grow into a real profitable business. With this, we continue to show that FITD is always on the side of innovative companies that have a vision and potential for success. I believe that through the FITD Corporate Innovation Program, we will soon encourage more such successful collaborations between startup companies and large corporations, which will quickly transform the Macedonian startup ecosystem, “said Kosta Petrov, director of the Fund for Innovation and Technology Development.
The products will be on specifically marked shelves by the end of the year, at predefined sales locations and will receive appropriate assistance in preparing a marketing campaign for promotion. Additionally, they will be involved in the integrated digital marketing communication of the market chain.
“Tinex is a company that constantly and selflessly gives its support to companies that are developing and that need a little support to present themselves well in the market and to successfully develop their vision. This time, we are especially honoured to be part of the project “Startup Heroes” in cooperation with FITD and IME where we have the opportunity to see many quality, energetic, highly motivated enthusiasts and to give them a chance to place their products in Tinex markets. On the shelves of Tinex, their products will be “side by side” with world-famous brands and will fight for their place in the market. Through our marketing and promotional channels, we will allow them to “present themselves to consumers and win their ‘sympathies.’ With this cooperation, we hope to have satisfied customers and satisfied new associates,” said Cvetanka Hristovska, brand director of Tinex.
The call was intended for small startup companies that have already developed a prototype of an innovative product with potential for placement, to implement activities that will prepare their product for successful entry into retail in Tinex markets.
“Startup Heroes will be an incentive for all other startups to follow this example and develop technologically advanced and innovative products for the domestic and international markets. IME will continue to be a partner of the Fund for Innovation and Technology Development in organizing new challenges to support building the competitiveness of innovative micro, small and medium enterprises and employment of as many young people and women as possible,” said Goran Damovski, head of the Swiss program IME.
The total budget provided for the challenge is 7 million denars (MKD), of which FITD provided six and IME one million, with a maximum amount per application of 600,000 denars (MKD).
The public call was open from 22.04 until 25.05.2021, at which 22 companies that entered the final selection, presented their products before the Commission for evaluation and selection.
The final selection committee consisted of experts in the field of the challenge, the field of business development and/or marketing and sales and representatives from the implementing partners Tinex, IME and FITD.
More details regarding the selected projects can be found at the following link.