About the accelerator
consolid8 - Synergies for Social Businesses - a national social enterprise accelerator - offers two years of support for setting up and developing social businesses in urban areas of Romania's less developed regions (all urban localities, except Bucharest and Ilfov county).
The programme started in December 2024 and is run by fonduri-structurale.ro together with Centrul Cultural Plai, Synerb Venture Catalyzer and Nod Makerspace.
Programme stages
February – July 2025: Free courses in Social Economy Entrepreneurship & business plan development with the fonduri-structurale.ro consultants – 131 places available.
The courses will take place online and will end with national certification in occupation 112032 “Social Economy Entrepreneur”.
To take part in the social entrepreneurship training course, applicants must meet the following conditions:
I. Belong to ONE of the following categories:
- people aged between 30 (completed) and 35 (not yet completed), regardless of their labour market status OR
- people from disadvantaged groups on the labour market (e.g. people with disabilities; people released from detention; young people leaving institutional care; people over 50; people who have returned to the country), regardless of their labour market status OR
- people looking for a job OR
- unemployed people OR
- long-term unemployed people OR
- inactive people (pensioners; students; homemakers).
II. Reside in the less developed regions (South Muntenia, South-East, North-East, North-West, West, Centre and South-West), in urban or rural areas, namely in all localities except Bucharest and those in Ilfov county,
III. Have completed at least high school,
IV. Wish to set up a social business in an urban area, in the less developed regions,
V. Not have already attended a “Social Economy Entrepreneur” course (COR code 112032) or a “Social Enterprise Manager” course (COR code 112036) funded from non-reimbursable public funds.
More details about the enrolment process can be found in the Selection Methodology.
The courses end with a graduation exam recognised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity and the Ministry of Education for the occupation “Social Economy Entrepreneur”.
Training structure
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- online - |
- online - |
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70 hours (4 weeks) |
180 hours (7 weeks) |
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Monday - 14⁰⁰ - 18⁰⁰ Tuesday - 14⁰⁰ - 18⁰⁰ Wednesday - 14⁰⁰ - 18⁰⁰ Friday - 14⁰⁰ - 16⁰⁰ |
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17 – 18 hours of study (group sessions and individual study) |
25 – 26 hours of study (group sessions and individual study) |
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People with higher education |
People with secondary education (12 grades, with or without baccalaureate) / People with higher education |
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17 March 2025 - 1 May 2025 |
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350 lei |
900 lei |
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Find out more about the entrepreneurs we have supported through the Social Enterprise Accelerator and Social Start-up. Also take a look at the consolid8 accelerator for social innovation ecosystems.
July – September 2025: Business plan & pitch competition. All 131 participants in the training programmes can enter the competition. 34 winners will receive up to RON 327,610.80 (EUR 66,000) to develop their social businesses.
October – November 2025: Mentoring & counselling/consultancy & bootcamp (business school) and thematic workshops & study visits to social enterprises
November 2025: Signing of the funding contracts
December 2025 – February 2027: Implementation of the business plans
March 2026 – March 2027: Business sustainability
Enrolment
Course enrolment is on a first come, first served basis. Places in the training programmes are limited and will be filled as the enrolled applicants' membership of the project's target group is confirmed.
Contact
If you have questions about the enrolment process or the conditions you need to meet, you can contact us using the contact form.
