10 BT Mic customers, part of the Start Online accelerator programme, reinvent themselves and launch their online business today

Ten BT Mic customers participated in the new BT Mic small business accelerator program and today they are launching their business online. The programme is a new phase in the long-standing partnership between BT Mic and the European Fund for South East Europe Development Facility (EFSE DF).

Details:

• The Start Online programme started in March 2021 and is aimed at micro and small businesses that want to have an online presence.
• 30 companies were initially selected to participate and benefit from dedicated training sessions and personalised advice on how to expand business online.
• 10 companies have advanced to the stage of setting up online shops: 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 companies are present in 7 cities in Romania, and their activity profile is very diverse: coffee shop, stationery shop, bakery, pet shop, toys and children's clothing, cosmetics, florist, design and clothing production.
• The collaboration between BT Mic and businesses continues for another three months after today's launch of the websites, during which time entrepreneurs will benefit from advice on managing their online business.
• The Start Online by BT Mic initiative is a first for Banca Transilvania Financial Group in terms of addressability and specific stages, which includes consulting for the management of the online business, the effective implementation of the online store, familiarization with sales and marketing strategies, support for the launch and post-launch stages of the stores, as well as monitoring the results and implementation of new ideas.
• The program partners who provided the know-how and services needed to go online areMTH Digital - digital marketing agency (main partner), GoMag - digital platform provider for online shops, TRUSTED - helps entrepreneurs to be aware of current legislation and apply e-commerce best practices, Hosterion - provides hosting for websites and online shops, respectively GPeC, the leading e-commerce community and the largest organizer of e-commerce events and courses in Romania. 

Statements:

• Cristina Sindile, General Manager, BT Mic: "The StartOnline by BT Mic initiative comes to the aid of small businesses who want to scale their business online. In the last year we have been very close to our customers and we have realized the difficulties they face in using online as a sales channel. As a result, this online small business accelerator programme was born. It is an integrated, comprehensive programme where we aim to take entrepreneurs through all the steps needed to run an online business: from evaluating the idea to what it means to manage the day-to-day running of a business with an online presence."
  
  
• Markus Aschendorf, President of the European Fund Development Facility for South East Europe (EFSE DF), the sponsor of the Start Online project: "We are delighted to be part of this initiative as it addresses a major constraint faced by micro and small enterprises in Romania: the lack of know-how and capacity to digitise and increase 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 the survival rate of companies and support job creation."
  
  
• Raluca Radu, Managing Director, MTH Digital: "Withthe e-commerce sector exceeding EUR 5.6 billion in online sales in 2021, according to ARMO and GPeC estimates, it is particularly important for Romanian businesses to develop their online presence and thus increase their turnover. At MTH Digital we aim to support entrepreneurs who want to promote themselves online and we are happy to be part of the Start Online by BT Mic initiative".

The BT Mic blog has a section dedicated to this accelerator program, which includes the story of each supported business and practical advice from Start Online by BT Mic partners.

About BT Mic

BT Mic is one of the companies of Banca Transilvania Financial Group, which complements the bank's role in supporting entrepreneurs. It is aimed at companies with an annual turnover of up to 1 million lei, in all fields of activity. So far, BT Mic has supported over 15,000 small businesses to grow. The company offers more than financing, by promoting clients on the BT Mic Blog, the most recent initiatives being I am a BT Mic client and Buy from a small business.

About EFSE

The European Fund Development Facility for South East Europe (EFSE DF) was created in 2006 to support the Fund's objective of financing development. EFSE DF provides tailored technical assistance, training and support to institutions, organisations and individuals in the financial sector and the wider ecosystem. By expanding capacity, opening access to resources, promoting best practices for sustainable finance and more, EFSE DF multiplies the impact and reach of the fund, creating the right conditions for sustainable entrepreneurship to thrive. For more information on the European Fund for South East Europe, visit: www.efse.lu.