On November 14, 2014 ISET hosted the conference organized by CASE (Center for Social and Economic Research, Warsaw). The conference summarized the results of the research project “Transfer of Know-How for Small and Mid-Size Businesses in Georgia”.

Experts from the Czech Republic, Elina Valerie Lunova (Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO), Czech Republic) and Alena Zemplinerova (CEVRO Institute and Anglo-American University Prague) presented proposed activities for SME support in Georgia, based on knowledge and experience accumulated during the transition of Czech economy into a market economy as well as from the accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union.

In addition, experts discuss problematic issues that need to be addressed in order to promote entrepreneurship, technological transfer, skills in the area of SMEs, job creation, and sustainable economic development of Georgia.

In addition, activities for SME support in Georgia were proposed based on the basis of questionnaires among and of cooperation with the Georgian experts and stakeholders dealing with the SME sector and are influential entities shaping the Georgian policy towards the SME.

Following eight topics and problematic issues have been identified that need to be addressed in Georgia: 1. Improvement in the business environment, barriers to market entry, and competition policy, 2. Innovative financial mechanism 3. Research, development, innovation, and venture capital 4. Start-up grants for entrepreneurs from distant and under-developed areas 5. European regulations and export opportunities 6. Business sector awareness about grants and programs 7. Entrepreneurship skills 8. Overlapping ministry policies

Presenters:

Elina Valerie Lunova, Deputy Head of Unit, Department of Innovative Entrepreneurship and Investments, Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.

Elina Valerie Lunova graduated from the Faculty of International Relations at the University of Economics in Prague in the year 2009. From 2009 she worked as an officer of the Business Environment Department at the Ministry of Industry and Trade as a manager for reducing administrative burdens for SMEs. In 2010 she was appointed the National Coordinator for Small Business Act for Europe and SME Week, later in 2011 she was nominated as a National Coordinator for European Enterprise Promotion Awards and in 2013 as a National Coordinator for Entrepreneurship Action Plan 2020. From June 2014 she works as Deputy of the International Relations Unit at the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.

Alena Zemplinerova

Studied at Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School for International and Public Affairs, adviser to Minister of Privatisation, consultant to the OECD. Worked on projects within the EU, The World Bank, and EBRD. Member of European Council for Small business. She has been lecturing and on study visits in Japan, China, Great Britain, and South Africa. Her field is competition policy, industrial organization, European integration, foreign direct investment, and small businesses while focusing on empirical research and policy implications. She served as a member of the Economic Advisory Group for Competition Policy (EAGCP) at DG-Competition, European Commission. She published numerous scientific articles, books, and chapters in the books and was appointed as Professor of Economics in 2012.