The Business Start-Up Centre Bar (created in spring 2007) supports students, young graduates and young potential entrepreneurs (up to the age of 35) in starting their own small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Montenegro. The project is financed by the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and co-owned by local stakeholders represented in the Coordination Committee of the Centre.

The objectives of the BSC Bar are to:

•          Reduce poverty levels under youth, women and vulnerable groups in Bar by creating jobs at existing companies and through establishing new Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs);

•          Contribute to the capacity building of Project Partners by the implementation of new ICT Systems and training of staff (based on needs assessment);

•          Remove bureaucratic & political obstacles in doing business that have been identified during the first two years of the project on regional, national and international level, and reduce the remaining obstacles or have them on the political agenda; and 

•          Establish a regional BSC Network, together with bscs throughout Montenegro, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, bih and FYR of Macedonia.

Initially, the BSC Bar is a project of SPARK (formerly ATA - Academic Training Association) and following project partners: Bar Municipality, Faculty of Tourism Hotel management and Trade, Economic School, Montenegro Business Alliance, Association of Olive Producers, Cultural Centre, Forum of Unemployed Women, Association of Entrepreneurs and Agricultural Association. All project partners have signed the Memorandum of Understanding.

The BSC Bar offers young entrepreneurs following services:

•          Business Skills Training - 4/5 day training sessions on topics like marketing, financial management, management skills, legal and tax issues, exporting to the EU, product development and innovation etc.

•          Business Plan Competition (BPC) - young potential entrepreneurs are supported to write a professional business plan in 2 phases (business concept, business plan)

•          Business Support Services (BSS) - the best business plans/entrepreneurs resulting from the BPC are supported through personal coaching, consultancy, micro-loans, incubation space & services and free registration of their business training, consultancy, working space and access to micro-credit which will lead to the establishment of new and innovative small and medium enterprises. 

The Netherland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the donor of this 4-year project (SPARK is the recipient), and it is expected, that the BSC Bar will be fully independent, locally owned organisation (a limit liability company or NGO) after 4 years of existence (in 2010).

Local partners contribute ‘in kind’ to the BSC Bar by offering office space, incubator space, training space and promotional/PR services (total value of in kind support is 50% of the total 4-year project budget). The Bar Municipality is the main partner and contributor.

Contact Persons:

Ivana Tomašević, Director

E-mail: i.tomasevic@bscbar.org   

Business Incubator:

Saša Jovanović, Incubator Manager

E-mail: s.jovanovic@bscbar.org  

Mirjana Pavlović, Project Officer

E-mail: m.pavlovic@bscbar.org  

Vesna Antunićević, Project Assistant

E-mail: v.antunicevic@bscbar.org