EU4Youth training and funds help mushroom business take off in Armenia
Posted on July. 4. 2020
A 28-year-old Armenian has launched a mushroom production business in the city of Idjevan in the Tavush region of Armenia, having received business training and won funding from the EU4Youth project – and because his business is in food production, he has been able to work through the coronovirus lockdown.
Tigran Mayilyan established his business after taking part in the ‘EU4Youth: Employability and Stability in Armenia, Belarus and Ukraine’ project, financed by the EU with co-funding from the Austrian Development Agency.
He had harboured the idea of tree mushroom production for a long time, but he lacked both funds knowledge to turn his concept into a business.
So when he came across information about the project on social media, Tigran decided to apply for the training, hoping he would gain not only entrepreneurial knowledge but the chance to compete for a grant that could make his dream come true. Thanks to his entrepreneurial spirit, business idea and compliance with the criteria of the project, Tigran was selected as one of the participants for the entrepreneurship training.
During the second round of the ‘entrepreneurship component’ of the EU4Youth project Tigran was one of the most motivated and active participants in the project. He had a good sense of entrepreneurship and from the very start, was very motivated and completely focused on the idea and its implementation.
“My expectations were fully justified more than I can ever imagine. It was an unforgettable moment when it was announced that I am among the winners. The trainers gave me all the necessary knowledge that I need, which I currently use in everyday business activities. I am really very satisfied.”
Through the project, Tigran was able to transform his idea into a proper business model, and as soon as he received funding from the project, he was able to put the plan into action.
After participating in the business training part of the project and receiving business consulting, Tigran presented his business plan, which was among the winners and received a grant of €4,000 to establish his business.
Using the grant, he prepared the production area and had a special refrigerator constructed.
Unaffected by the lockdown, which exempted food production companies, Tigran is running his business successfully and has established a number of partnerships with clients such as restaurants, cafés, and retail outlets to distribute his products. He also provides direct delivery services to clients via his Facebook page, enabling him to keep the orders running despite the disruption caused by lockdown.