On December 9, 2017, the second Startup Weekend was held in Kamarova. Graduates of the School of Rural Business presented prepared during the training business plans and fought for the evaluation of a strict jury. Contestants gave weighty reasons why financial support should be provided specifically to their local private initiative.
Startup Weekend was the final event for students of the School of Rural Business in Kamarova, which were trained from August to November 2017. During the classes beginners and experienced businessmen from 4 regions ‒ Miadziel, Smargoń, Pastavy and Astraviec studied the basics of business planning and received consultations.
The members of the jury were to assess the prospects for private initiatives that were developed by the participants and determine who will get financial support for the European Union project "BY RURAL BOOST: Boosting rural entrepreneurship in Belarus via establishment and running of Kamarova Rural Business Incubator". The jury consisted of representatives of local executive power, business, Belarusian and foreign public organizations.
According to the voting results, 5 of the 9 local private initiatives that were submitted will receive financial support from the European Union project in the amount of 2 to 10 thousand euros. Also, the second chance to compete for funding received 3 business initiatives that did not get the right amount of points on the first Startup Weekend.
The highest score was get by the initiative of Igor Khvashchevsky from the Smargoń district. It is aimed at the production of biohumus with utilization of cattle waste according to the organic standards of EU regulation. Igor Khvashchevsky founded the farm "Vermi Ecoproduct" in 2014, which specializes in organic farming and has a corresponding certificate. In the plans of the economy to organize the production of organic fertilizer ‒ biohumus, which requires the purchase of additional livestock cattle.
Financial support for the EU project will also receive a business idea on setting up its own production of mixed fodder on a rabbit farm. Its author, Alexander Gotovko from the Miadziel district, has been breeding rabbits for several years and lacks granulated mixed fodder. He plans to solve this problem by creating a granulation line.
Members of the jury and the business idea on the organization of a large family beekeeping enterprise on the basis of the existing apiary were highly appreciated. It was represented by Alexander Morozik, who has long been breeding bees and is engaged in the sale of honey, propolis, pergia, pollen, royal jelly in the Ostrovets district.
One of the winners was also Ivan Matyuk from the agro-town of Zaliessie. He plans to build and equip a refectory on the territory of his own agro-recreation "Polonaise", it can accommodate 50 people at a time.
Also, the jury decided to support the construction company "NARS", founded in June 2017. Businessman Dmitry Strelets plans to adjust the production of mortar and concrete mixes with their delivery to the consumer and the possibility of loading into a truck mixer.
In spite of the fact that according to the voting results of the jury 5 business initiatives were supported, 2 more were included in the waiting list. If the project budget is allowed, they will also be supported.
On the previous Startup Weekend several ideas were sent for revision. After listening to the contestants, the jury decided to support the Tribulev family. They plan to open several tours of sound therapy in the Astraviec district for tourists. For the money of the project, they will be able to buy a solar collector and install a treatment plant for their agro-recreation.
As the director of the educational and practical institution for the support of entrepreneurship "BIKAMAROVA" Eduard Voitekhovich noted, the victory in the Startup Weekend is just the beginning of a long hard way to translate the business plan into reality.
We remind you that residents of Miadziel, Smargoń, Pastavy and Astraviec districts can apply for training at the School of rural business in Kamarova until December 20, 2017 on ecopartnerstvo.by.
Reference:
The School of Rural Business in Kamarova works within the framework of the project "BY RURAL BOOST: Boosting rural entrepreneurship in Belarus via establishment and running of Kamarova Rural Business Incubator". The project is funded by the European Union and co-financed by the US Embassy in Minsk, its budget is 588 thousand euros, where the EU contribution is 556.5 thousand euros. The project is being implemented by the IPO "Ecopartnership" (Minsk) and the NGO "Women for the revival of the Narač region"(Kamarova). More information on ecopartnerstvo.by.
