The Vice-Presidency of the Government, through the Society for Business Development of the Azores - SDEA, promotes the first action of the project designated as "I Build My Business" in Ponta Delgada at the premises of CRESAÇOR between March 12 and April 23. There are another three actions planned for this year that will be held on the islands of Terceira, Pico and São Miguel.
The initiative is based on the methodology of the previous "Azores Entrepreneurship," a programme that provided the support, follow-up and creation of 25 new companies. In comprises several stages for the implementation of a business idea, from its inception and self-diagnosis of the entrepreneur's profile to the development of the main skills and attitudes of entrepreneurs in domains related to business management.
The project has a workload of 85 hours in the first phase of training, which is primarily based on a practical component. It is followed by a second phase of support to the implementation of the business idea, with a time frame of up to six months, and by a third phase of support to the project, with a time horizon of up to 12 months.
In order to promote the effective creation of companies following the participation in the training provided under this initiative, the "I Build my Business" Prize, with a cash value of 3,500 Euros, will be awarded to the five best applications submitted in each action of this initiative and whose promoters implement their business creation projects.
"I Build My Business" is directed to unemployed individuals, with minimum compulsory education qualifications, who are registered in the Agencies for Qualification and Employment. It may also be extended to undergraduate students as well as to graduate students enrolled in Master's and Doctoral degrees, who wish to create a company.
The initiative is also open to young people interested in developing an economic activity in the area of creative industries, entrepreneurs in the craft sector who wish to acquire business management skills and the owners of micro, small and medium enterprises who wish to acquire business management skills.
The project aims to provide participants with knowledge in the business area with the aim of harnessing the economic potential of endogenous resources of the Azores.