The Fund of Funds has launched a market consultation in connection with the structuring of a financial instrument for equity and quasi-equity financing "Start-up Fund for Undergraduate and PhD Students".

During the consultation, which will take the form of one-to-one meetings with all interested parties, the following topics will be discussed:

 Market opportunities and key factors related to venture financing and the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem;

 Structure and main parameters of the financial Instrument, including its implementation mechanism, total amount of the funding available, territorial distribution, results achieved, way of revenue distribution, etc;

 Investment strategy and process for attracting of potential investments;

 Indicative financing conditions: main expected financing parameters, incl. need to raise private capital, pricing conditions, size, timing, etc.;

 Structure of the fund and the team that will manage it.

"The "Start-up Fund for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students" is funded by the Education Programme 2021-2027 (EP), co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and has a public budget of €12.52 million. It will use equity and quasi-equity investments to stimulate and support the creation of start-ups by undergraduate and/or postgraduate students to launch businesses or other entrepreneurial initiatives. The aim is to support the enhancement of innovation activities in higher education institutions in the digital economy and to significantly improve employability; to support the development of students' entrepreneurial skills through participation in the entrepreneurial process, namely through "learning by doing" and to enhance the quality of the link between education, science and business.

The meetings will be held until 11.10.2024 and those wishing to take part should make an advance electronic booking here.

More information and documents on the "Start-up Fund for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students" needed to prepare for the market consultation, with an indicative technical specification for the financial Instrument, can be found here.

Any questions or queries in case of technical difficulties can be addressed to the following e-mail address: office@fmfib.bg