“We expected the health crisis would dampen the enthusiasm of would-be entrepreneurs but this was not the case. Romania has many confident and brave entrepreneurs who are ready to go ahead with their plans,” said Vladimir Kalinov, retail vice-president at Raiffeisen Bank.
Of the selected projects, 27 are business ideas that undertake an active role in fighting the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
“In this category we financed companies that manufacture protection gear and educational projects,’ said Kalinov.
The businesses selected for financing mainly operate in services, manufacturing, food, IT, education and healthcare and 70% of selected entrepreneurs are aged under 40.