Ten BT Mic clients took part in the new acceleration program for small businesses launched by BT Mic, and today they are taking their businesses online. The program is a new stage in the long-standing partnership between BT Mic and the European Fund for Southeast Europe Development Facility (EFSE DF).

Details:

• The Start Online program began in March 2021 and is aimed at micro and small enterprises looking to establish an online presence.
• 30 companies were initially selected to participate and benefit from dedicated training sessions and tailored advice on expanding their business online.
• 10 companies advanced to building their online stores: Office Vision, ABM Kids, Caramel Gold, Stefara Decor, Sezon Coffee Roasters, Himera Vet, Isabela Teodor, Miclean Zootehnia, Wowzaaa Treats and Kosmo Line Spa. The selected firms are present in 7 cities across Romania and cover a wide range of activities: coffee shop, stationery retail, pastry products, pet shop, children’s toys and clothing, cosmetics, florist, and fashion design and production.
• BT Mic’s collaboration with these businesses continues for another three months from today’s website launches, during which the entrepreneurs will receive advice on managing their online business.
• Start Online by BT Mic is a first for the Banca Transilvania Financial Group in terms of its target audience and step-by-step design, covering advisory on managing an online business, the actual build of the online store, familiarisation with sales and marketing strategies, support for the launch and post‑launch stages of the stores, as well as monitoring results and implementing new ideas.
• The program partners that provided the know-how and services needed to go online are: ​​MTH Digital – digital marketing agency (lead partner), GoMag – the digital platform provider for online stores, TRUSTED – helps entrepreneurs stay up to date with current legislation and apply e-commerce best practices, Hosterion – provides hosting for websites and online stores, and GPeC, the main e-commerce community and the largest organiser of e-commerce events and courses in Romania.

Quotes:

• Cristina Sindile, CEO, BT Mic: “The Start Online by BT Mic initiative addresses the needs of small businesses that want to scale online. Over the past year we have stayed very close to our clients and understood the hurdles they face in using online as a sales channel. As a result, this acceleration program for small businesses online came about. It’s an integrated, end-to-end program through which we set out to guide entrepreneurs through all the steps needed to run an online business: from assessing the idea to what day-to-day management means for a business with an online presence.”
  
  
• Markus Aschendorf, Chair of the European Fund for Southeast Europe Development Facility (EFSE DF), sponsor of the Start Online project: “We are delighted to be part of this initiative as it addresses an important constraint faced by micro and small enterprises in Romania: the lack of know-how and capacity to digitize and strengthen their online presence. With the involvement of local financial institutions, such as BT Mic, and the expertise of our partner consultants, we are contributing to the digital transformation of the business ecosystem to ensure its resilience, improve companies’ survival rates and support job creation.”
  
  
• Raluca Radu, CEO, MTH Digital: “With the e-commerce sector exceeding EUR 5.6 billion in online sales in 2021, according to ARMO and GPeC estimates, it is especially important for Romanian businesses to develop their online presence and thereby grow their turnover. At MTH Digital, we aim to support entrepreneurs who want to promote themselves online and we are glad to be part of the Start Online by BT Mic initiative”.

BT Mic Blog has a section dedicated to this acceleration program, featuring the story of each supported business and practical tips from the Start Online by BT Mic partners.

About BT Mic

BT Mic is part of the Banca Transilvania Financial Group, complementing the bank’s role in supporting entrepreneurs. It serves companies with annual turnover of up to 1 million lei, across all industries. To date, BT Mic has helped more than 15,000 small businesses to grow. The company offers more than financing, by promoting clients on the BT Mic Blog, with the most recent initiatives being I’m a BT Mic customer too and Buy from a small business.

About EFSE

The European Fund for Southeast Europe Development Facility (EFSE DF) was established in 2006 to support the fund’s development finance mission. EFSE DF provides tailored technical assistance, training and support to institutions, organisations and individuals in the financial sector and the broader ecosystem. By building capacity, opening access to resources, promoting best practices in sustainable finance and more, EFSE DF amplifies the fund’s impact and reach, creating the conditions for sustainable entrepreneurship to thrive. For more information about the European Fund for Southeast Europe, visit: www.efse.lu.