Good practice:

PAED (Programme for Direct Support for Businesses)

PAED is an answer in terms of providing business initiatives with support in the region of Aragón. It is through this programme that the Chamber of Commerce supports entrepreneurs all throughout the process of starting a new business. Activity lines within the programme are:
1. Development of business initiatives
2. Competitiveness
3. PAED business network
The main objective is that of focusing on the promotion of business initiatives in the environment of SME’s while providing them with support. Both new companies and companies wanting to grow or increase their competitiveness would benefit from the programme, whose main difference resides in proximity and the follow-up of the promoter or entrepreneur, who would count on the support of a local expert.

>Financial resources for the programme – Agreement in 2019:
Conbribution by the Government of Aragon:
450,000 € in the Region of Aragón/135,000 € in Teruel
Contribution by the Chambers of Commerce
112,500 € in the Region of Aragón / 33,750 € in Teruel
>Human resources: 4.2 yearly worktime

Year 2018: The Chamber of Commerce of Teruel has assumed some 218 projects during 2018, 86 cristallised in a new company and created 120 jobs, the consolidated investment being 5,371,691.92 €.
Years 2004 - 2018: From the start of the programme some 1,347 business have been started, involving the creation of 2,243 Jobs, te consolidated investment being 90,190,501.08 €.
It has been proven that the survivability index of companies using the PAED procedure is 20% higher than of companies not users

PAED programme was awarded by the European Union as an excellent initiative for supporting entrepreneurship during the 2008-2009 call.

Key success factors:
-Proximity to both entrepreneurs and companies thanks to the PAED network of offices.
-Specialisation and training of PAED Experts.
-Supporting of entrepreneurs from the very first idea to its implementation and in an ongoing fashion.
-Provided at no cost for the beneficiaries. DGA financing.
Negative aspects:
-Resources for supporting entrepreneurs become scattered.
-There is the need to improve the education of entrepreneurs.
Challenges:
- There is the need to further spread the project in rural areas through a bigger number of offices so entrepreneurship is promoted and rural population stabilizes.