The Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry announces the launch of the National Competition for the European Entrepreneurship Promotion Awards 2025.
The winners will be announced in June and will represent Cyprus in the European Competition. The results of the European Competition will be announced during the SME Assembly, which will take place in November 2025.
The European Entrepreneurship Awards aim to reward policies that promote entrepreneurship at local, regional or national level. As such, the Awards are open to all public authorities responsible for policy-making. Public authorities are defined according to the national context of each participating country and may include policy-making bodies, funding bodies and implementing organisations.
AWARD CATEGORIES
The competition includes the following six (6) award categories:
Improving the business environment and promoting entrepreneurial spirit: Initiatives at national, regional or local level are rewarded, which promote entrepreneurial awareness, especially among young people and women.
Investing in business skills: Initiatives at national, regional or local level aimed at improving the skills of businesses, management and workers are rewarded
Supporting digital transition: Recognizes initiatives that support the digital transition of businesses, enabling them to develop, market and use digital technologies, products and services of all kinds.
Supporting the internationalization of businesses: Recognizes innovative policies and initiatives at national, regional or local level, which make Europe the most attractive place to start a business, operate, grow and expand in the single market, simplify legislative and administrative procedures for businesses and implement the “Think Small First” principle in favour of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Supporting sustainable transition: Policies and initiatives at national, regional or local level that support sustainable transition and environmental aspects such as the circular economy, climate neutrality, clean energy, resource efficiency or biodiversity are rewarded through, for example, sustainable development and skills matching, as well as through financing.
Responsible and Inclusive Entrepreneurship: National, regional or local initiatives by authorities or public-private partnerships or SMEs that promote corporate social responsibility in small and medium-sized enterprises are rewarded. This category also rewards efforts to promote entrepreneurship among disadvantaged groups, such as the unemployed and, in particular, the long-term unemployed, legal immigrants, people with disabilities or people from ethnic minorities.
The European Jury also awards the Jury Grand Prize to the nomination in any category judged to be the most inventive and creative initiative that promotes entrepreneurship in Europe.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
The competition is open to all local, regional and national authorities in the EU or countries associated with the SME pillar of the Single Market Programme. This includes cities, towns, regional communities and other local public bodies, such as research and educational institutions, as well as public-private partnerships between public authorities and entrepreneurs, training programmes and business organizations.
Projects originating exclusively from private businesses or individuals are eligible only for the “Responsible and Inclusive Entrepreneurship” category, where Private entities falling within the definition of SMEs may participate provided that the project submitted with the application by the SME does not constitute the company’s main business sector.
The Awards are also open to public-private partnerships, i.e. “forms of cooperation between public authorities and the private sector aimed at securing the financing, construction, renovation, management or maintenance of an infrastructure or the provision of a service”
NATIONAL APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS
Proposals received after the deadline date will not be taken into account. Proposals must be submitted on the relevant application form (which will be available on the website of the Industry and Technology Service). This year there will be an electronic platform for applications – European Enterprise Promotion Award Form. They will then be evaluated by the Evaluation Committee established for this purpose.
The two proposals that will be selected will be forwarded to the European Commission for participation in the European competition.
