The new Support Structure funded by the RWM ROP 2014-2020 focusing among other activities on 2nd chance entrepreneurship support is about to operate during the next months. It will fully operate in RDF/RWM premises during 2020.

The Managing Authority of the RWM ROP 2014-2020 approved the relative proposal that was submitted by RDF and proposed the funding of the Support Structure in spring 2020. According the specific call demands an extended Business Plan had to be designed as a first step in order the Structure to operate under specific rules & targets. During the summer of 2019 there was an open call for external experts to be hired and design this Business Plan for the Support Structure that was finally finalised and delivered by RDF officers in late November 2019.

In the first next months of 2020 the Support Structure by the Greek partner will hire 5 people as extra staff to support all of the Support Structure operations.

This Support Structure in its full operation during 2020, will mainly support the following (among others) activities / operations:

• Map SMEs in crisis,

• Implement Early Warning Europe initiative (EWE) in the Region of Western Macedonia (RWM),

• Capitalize the outcomes of EWE and integrate them into future calls,

• Provide personalized information to 2nd chance SMEs on funding,

• Provide support to SMEs for development projects,

• Provide information on clusters and networks, Collaborate with the Managing Authority of the RWM ROP 2014 – 2020