ReSt@rts

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Reinforcing Med Microfinance Network System for Start-ups

About the project

Access to finance is still a major barrier to business development in the Mediterranean. This is especially true when it comes to young entrepreneurs that must fight much more than average to get proper funding. ReSt@rts intends to break down this business obstacle by supporting the so-called “non-bankable” young people. The project will extend the microfinance system developed in previous projects to new geographical areas and sectors and will ensure that the main results of these projects are consolidated into new policies at regional level. Aimed at both entrepreneurs and microfinance providers, a marketplace platform will be developed to gather the supply and demand in a friendly and easily accessible business environment. In this platform, crowdfunding will be playing a key role, as the ReSt@rts partners understand that the use of alternative financing is essential whenever the traditional ways of funding fail. Thanks to ReSt@rts, many Mediterranean young would-be entrepreneurs will get a new chance to fund their business ideas. Eventually, concerned entrepreneurs will have access to a wide Mediterranean cross-border networks of pontential investors.

Key information

Acronym:

ReSt@rts

Full title:

Reinforcing Med Microfinance Network System for Start-ups

Thematic objective:

A.1 Business and SMEs development

Priority:

A.1.1 Start-ups and recently established enterprises

Countries:

Italy, Palestine, Tunisia, Lebanon, Greece, Cyprus

Financial data

1.1 million

Total budget

0.9 million

EU contribution

10%

Project co-financing

Highlights

Project in numbers

Partners

Countries

Technical outputs

Project duration

Start date

20 September 2021

End date

19 November 2023

Partnership

News

Events

Library

Deliverables

Documents

Videos

Objective

To contribute to stimulate access to finance in the Mediterranean, by broadening the funding options, encouraging the use of alternative finance and gathering the supply and the demand within a transnational and digital marketplace

What will be improved?

Aside from replicating a full-structural microfinance model of support to entrepreneurs and fund providers, the project will have an impact at different levels. On the short run, new business ideas will be promoted and funded, facilitating the access of new products and services to the market and strengthening the entrepreneurship mindsets of the Mediterranean youth that otherwise might be discouraged when seeing their ideas turned down over and over again. On the long run, new jobs will be created as a result of the empowered business ideas, and, last but not least, the overall framework of access to credit and alternative microfinance in the participating countries will be smarter and more effective than it is today.

Who will benefit?

Young entrepreneurs and women usually considered as ‘non-bankable’
Business angels
Private and public finance institutions
Local and regional authorities

Expected achievements

1 industry microfinance study 2.0
1 microfinance providers association set in place
1 microfinance manifesto for public authorities
1 training delivered to microfinance providers
1 Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) for aspiring Mediterranean entrepreneurs
Consultancy support provided to entrepreneurs
1 digital marketplace platform that will gather supply and demand of microfunding

Contribution to policy-making

The main contribution of ReSt@rts to policy-making will be to reach and involve multiple stakeholders, connecting the policy framework developed for crowdfunding with the one developed for the business empowering of fragile target groups, such as youth and women. ReSt@rts will apply this model to the Mediterranean context, thus further improving the harmonization of the regulatory framework and mutual exchange. The European Crowdfunding Network “AISBL”, associated partner to the project, will play a crucial role in guiding the public authorities in integrating the tools proposed by ReSt@rts.

About the project

Acronym

ReSt@rts

Title

Reinforcing Med Microfinance Network System for Start-ups

Description

ReSt@rts intends to provide technical guidelines and tools – including the set up of an online platform - to enhance and foster the results of the MEDSt@rts and GIMED Project and ENI initiatives in the Med countries, with the objective to fully exploits the results of the ongoing MEDSt@rts, allowing a significant number of potential entrepreneurs from the Mediterranean area to realize long-term social returns. The impactful financing system that will be promoted will pay the role of a marketplace to link the demand and supply sides of financial and non-financial services, strongly needed by Mediterranean youth entrepreneurs. In Med countries, access to finance represents one of the main gaps to fill in order to promote economic initiatives capable to increase job opportunities for youth and improve living conditions of the most vulnerable people. Within this framework microfinance is seen as an important tool to promote access to finance for entrepreneurs currently excluded as non-bankable. A special attention will be given to companies and aspiring entrepreneurs from GIMED and MEDS@rts. ReSt@rts aims are: -to promote the transfer of knowledge and best practices in the Mediterranean area, for the promotion and improvement of access to finance initiatives according to ethical principles -to support business development services for encouraging the creation of new economic and professional opportunities -to strengthen the system of ethical microfinance, already started with the MEDSt@rts, in the Mediterranean area, supporting the business system and encouraging the creation of new economic and professional opportunities. -to strengthen a transnational network, which can be the right approach to link the demand with the offer of financial and non-financial services -to enhance field experiences and improve peer to peer initiatives by adopting more collaboratives approaches -to promote knowledge transfer processes to the new partners in the Mediterranean countries

Role

Name of the organisation

Country

Region

Contact

Lead beneficiary

Arab Italian Chamber of Cooperation

Italy

Lazio

Partner 1

Calabria Region

Italy

Calabria

Partner 2

Federterziario

Italy

Lazio

Partner 3

Leaders Organisation

Palestine

Partner 4

Sfax Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Tunisia

Sfax

Partner 5

Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Sidon and South Lebanon Acronym of the organisation

Lebanon

Partner 6

ACHAIAN DEVELOPMENT ENTITY OF CHAMBER OF ACHAIA

Greece

Dytiki Ellada

Partner 7

Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Cyprus

Partner 8

Ager Sarl

Tunisia

Tunis

Associates

Role

Name of the organisation

Country

Associate 1

ECN - European Crowdfunding Network AISBL

Other

Project news

16 November 2023

Rest@rts Marketplace Platform Unveils Crowdfunding Tips and Tools section!

ReSt@rts, through its innovative online marketplace platform, is excited to announce the launch of a dedicated section aimed at providing essential tips and tools for launchin…

Sustainable tourism

Technology transfer

Elderly care

Water efficiency

About the project

Key information

Financial data

Highlights

Project in numbers

Project duration

Partnership

News

Events

Library

Deliverables

Documents

Videos

Objective

What will be improved?

Who will benefit?

Expected achievements

Contribution to policy-making

About the project

Associates

Rest@rts Marketplace Platform Unveils Crowdfunding Tips and Tools section!

ReSt@rts launches an online course to support young Mediterranean Entrepreneurs

ReSt@rts presents the Marketplace Platform during its Policy Awareness event in Rome

ReSt@rts Project to Reveal Advancements in Facilitating Financial Access for Women, Youth, and Vulnerable Groups at Final Conference

ReSt@rts announces its online information event gathering their network of microfinance actors

Italy: ReSt@rts project is looking for an economic operator

Palestine: ReSt@rts project is seeking technical assistance for microfinance providers

Palestine: ReSt@rts project is looking for a microfinance consultancy service

Lebanon: ReSt@rts project is looking for a travel agency

ReSt@rts Second Policy Awareness Event Focuses on Enhancing Access to Credit for Young People in the Mediterranean

ReSt@rts: fostering collaboration between international organizations to create financial inclusion strategies in the Mediterranean

Lebabon: ReSt@rts project promotes joint solutions for microfinance to boost entrepreneurship scene in the Mediterranean

Tunisia : ReSt@rts project is looking for a microfinance expert

Tunisia : ReSt@rts project is looking for a platform animator

Tunisia: ReSt@rts project is looking for a consultancy service provider

ReSt@rts in Lebanon will organise an information event to highligh the objectives, activities and results to stimulate access to finance

Lebanon: ReSt@rts project is looking for a technical assistance provider for microfinance organisations

ReSt@rts Project Publishes Comprehensive Booklet for Microfinance Providers

Lebanon: ReSt@rts project is looking for a microfinance consultancy service

ReSt@rts project releases analysis of the Mediterranean Microfinance Industry Study 2.0

ReSt@rts project creates a digital platform to connect entrepreneurs and microfinance promoters

ReSt@rts promotes the project's results among public authorities through a tailored policy-knowledge package

Lebanon: ReSt@rts project is looking for a Lobbying Agency

The lead beneficiay of ReSt@rts is looking for Project Officer

Lebanon: ReSt@rts project is looking for a MarketPlace Platform animator

Lebanon: ReSt@rts project consults a policy expert in the Microfinance sector for enhancing the national policies

REST@RTS contributes to facilitate access to credit for young Mediterranean entrepreneurs

Announcing the agenda for ReSt@rts 1st Policy Awareness event on microfinance

ReSt@rts to hold the first policy awareness event on microfinance in Sfax, Tunisia

Italy: ReSt@rts extends call for the provision of external services for event organisation

ReSt@rts: Lebanese partner announces the provision of travel organisation service

ReSt@rts project advances in strengthening the network of microfinance organizations

ReSt@rts: Reaching New Targets in the Microfinance Study and Association Formation

Lebanon: ReSt@rts project is looking for a public policy expert

ReSt@rts in Lebanon works to help start-ups and SMEs find micro-finance providers for growing their business

ReSt@rts project is looking for staff in Italy

Rest@rts will develop a Marketplace Platform containing the basis for a Crowdfunding system

The Italian Partner of ReSt@rts: Federziario Financier is Looking for a Project Manager

Subscribe to ReSt@rts newsletter to discover our events, activities and opportunities in the field of access to finance

ReSt@rts Kicks off Mediterranean Microfinance Industry Study

The Microfinance Promoter, a New Professional Figure to be Capitalized in ReSt@rts

ReSt@rts Capitalizes on MedSt@rts to Support a Buoyant Entrepreneurship Scene in the Mediterranean

ReSt@rts Project to Eliminate the Stigmatization of Female Entrepreneurship in Western Greece

The Italian Partner of ReSt@rts is Looking for a Collaborator for the Collection of Materials

Tunisia: ReSt@rts Project Supports Young Entrepreneurs amidst the Constraints in the Banking and Finance System

ReSt@rts Facilitates Access to Finance to non-bankable Youth in 6 MED Countries including Palestine

ReSt@rts: Tunisian Partner announces the provision of external audit services

Rest@rts project: Adressing the challenges of funding in Lebanon

ReSt@rts links demand and supply of financial and non-financial services, to support Mediterranean youth entrepreneurs

ReSt@rts supports non-bankable young people in the Mediterranean through crowdfunding

Italy: Federterziario brings its expertise in microfinancing to ReSt@rts project

Rest@rts Project is looking for an external auditor in Lebanon

ReSt@rts project: Call for external auditor needed for the Tunisian partner

ReSt@rts: A microfinance support project is launched in the Mediterranean Basin

Projects view

ReSt@rts' Final Conference: Policy awareness: Reinforcing the Microfinance Network