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Targeting resultsFine tuning cohesion policy

41Spring 2012

en

matchmaking agency helps spanish smes continue under neW ManageMenT

‘ Existing companies with continuation problems are helped exit their business ensuring its continuity and bringing a secure future for their employees. ’ Total cost:

eur 1 700 000 EU contribution:

eur 850 000

‘Re-enterprising’ (Reempresa) is a new approach being implemented in the Catalunya region of spain for supporting the transmission and success-ful continuation of small businesses by assisting new entrepreneurs to take over the helm.

Around 95 000 micro enterprises and SMEs in Catalunya close their doors every year and it is expected that at least 15 % will survive – providing continued employment for their work-force – thanks to the innovative Reempresa process.

The Centre for Reempresa of Catalonia was launched in 2010 and is supported by the Catalan Employers Association (Cecot) and a private foundation promoting self-employ-ment in Catalunya (CP’AC). It is cofinanced by the Catalunya Region (Generalitat de Catalunya Departament d’Economia i Coneixement) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

It is both a physical and virtual matchmaking and support service which helps bring small companies looking for new owners together with potential entrepreneurs. The target companies are small, often family-owned businesses, with transmission or continuation difficulties.

The Centre is the focal point of data and knowledge for the matchmaking process and supports potential owners with its ‘re-enterprising’ methodology. It organises extensive information programmes to highlight the benefits of the Reempresa approach for companies seeking to divest their interests, and for potential ‘re-entrepreneurs’.

In 2011 the Reempresa Centre helped engineer 13 ‘SME matches’. As a result, around 145 jobs were preserved. In the first months of 2012 the number of ‘SME matches’ is already higher, indicating the success of the project.

The Centre is helping potential entrepreneurs find a new business to get involved in and receive guidance on the business transfer process. The ‘re-entrepreneurs’ can pur-chase or lease the assets of an existing company as an alter-native to creating a new business from scratch.

fINd OUT mOREReempresa: www.reempresa.org/?idioma=2cecot (catalan employers association, co-initiator of the project): www.cecot.orgcP’ac: www.autoocupacio.orggeneralitat de catalunya departament d’economia i coneixement: www.gencat.catReempresa on twitter: @ReempresaReempresa on linkedIn: www.linkedin.com/groups/Reempresa-3945960

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