Macedonia Competitiveness Project (MCP)
Start date: July 12, 2007
End date: July 13, 2012
Project budget: $9,889,641
Objectives
Generate and enhance employment and sustained economic growth through new exports and investment, and systematic improvements in the ability of Macedonian companies and sectors to respond to the ever changing demands of the global economy.
Components
- Market Linkages and cultivation of strategic partnerships
- Transformation and upgrading of targeted Macedonian industries (ICT, apparel, light manufacturing)
- Workforce development
- Innovation
- Access to Finance
- Facilitating foreign investment
Achievements/Impact
Over $60 million in new exports were realized in target industries to date. Leads for multi-million dollar orders are in the pipeline for light manufacturing and ICT. One hundred and thirty-five domestic companies have invested $96 million through the financial platform, creating 1,437 jobs and the potential for over $45 million in new exports.
Over 2,000 interns have been placed in leading Macedonian companies. More than 300 career mentors were trained to support interns’ professional development. Market linkage activities resulted in more than $5 million in new business in light manufacturing stemming from participation in German trade shows, and new apparel orders after three successful business-to-business events in 2010 and 2011. A digital media company continued to expand its export pipeline, thanks in part to high-tech training for new staff through MCP’s revolving fund. The Innovation Center, a new MCP program launched in May 2010, has developed a pipeline of cutting-edge projects with high investment and sales potential. Furthermore, the Innovation Center initiated and established the first Business Angels Network in Macedonia to provide finance for innovative start-up companies.
The competitiveness of targeted sectors has been increased through the application of new technologies and quality management practices in apparel production; organizational support, technology transfer and training to support new partnerships in digital media; increasing the marketing capacity of the automotive cluster; and cultivating strategic partnerships involving investment and technology transfer.
Sustainability/Legacy
To create a market for the provision of services, the Project has emphasized use of local service providers on a cost-share basis or performance based compensation. For specific programs, the Project works with its partners and beneficiaries to develop and utilize sustainability frameworks or create self-sustaining project spin-offs. As of September 2010, the Workforce Development Component and the Innovation Center were registered as local NGOs and are now working on their sustainability model. In its market linkage and foreign investment activities, the Project focuses on attracting sustainable investment projects.
Contact Information
Contact at USAID: Margareta Lipkovska Atanasov, COTR mlipkovska@usaid.gov
Chief of Party: Jasmina Varnalieva jvarnalieva@carana.com
Information Officer: Tatjana Mitevska tmitevska@carana.com
Website: www.mcp.org.mk