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PEAK Programme is Seeking Proposals for Co-Establishment of Business Innovation Centres in Osh, Jalalabad, Naryn and Issyk Kul

07.04.2020by PEAK_admin

The PEAK Enterprise & Innovation Programme (or ‘PEAK Programme’) is a 4-year programme funded by the UK Department for International Development and implemented by DAI Europe in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan (PEAK Kyrgyzstan and PEAK Tajikistan respectively).

PEAK aims to increase innovation and growth in start-ups and Micro, Small and Medium-Sized companies (MSMEs) by establishing five business innovation centres in each country. The centres will provide business training, mentoring and practical business advice, within the context of the countries. The recipients of the technical assistance provided will be individual entrepreneurs that want to start a business or already have a startup business (operating for less than 3 years), established MSMEs, and business advisory services. Whilst the centres will not provide financing, they will refer suitable and certified start-ups to credible financial intermediaries. The ultimate goal is to create jobs, apply good and innovative business practices, and create life-changing opportunities for local entrepreneurs.

The PEAK Programme is implemented by DAI (an international development company), supported by Venture Hive (a US based accelerator), University of Central Asia, International Alert and local consulting firms (BizExpert in Kyrgyzstan and Imkon Consulting in Tajikistan).

What is PEAK Business Innovation Centre?

PEAK Centres will work with startups and MSMEs representing diverse economic sectors nationwide and guide them in transforming their ideas and products into viable businesses or scaling their existing businesses nationally and to regional and international markets.

Over the coming two years five PEAK Centres will be opened in major cities of Kyrgyzstan. The first business innovation centre was officially opened in Bishkek in February 2020. PEAK Kyrgyzstan is now looking for interested partner organisation(s) who are ready to co-establish one of four (or all four) PEAK business innovation centres in different locations in Kyrgyzstan. The business innovation centres are anticipated to be located in four of the following cities/villages in Kyrgyzstan: Osh, Karakol/ Cholpon-Ata/ Balykchy, Naryn/ Kochkor or Jalal-Abad.

PEAK Kyrgyzstan hereby invites legal entities (companies, foundations, associations) from these regions to apply and be considered for a strategic partnership in future PEAK Centres.

What do PEAK Centres offer?

1. Incubation and (pre-)acceleration programmes. PEAK Centres will offer highly flexible programmes that combine training and mentorship, contextualized deliverables or milestone achievements and an assessment of business development and/or mastery of skills. PEAK will additionally support startups and MSMEs to raise finance from local financial institutions or local and international investors.

2. Business Consultations. PEAK Centres will have a pool of Business Advisory Service Providers (BASPs) who will provide a range of advisory services to start-ups/MSMEs, in topics ranging from legal registration, to strategy, marketing and sales, finance and others.

3. Meetings with mentors. PEAK Centres consider mentorship a key element of the incubation and acceleration programmes, where successful and experienced entrepreneurs or businesspersons help the entrepreneur to develop their own abilities and insights as they start and grow their business. The Centres will also offer mentorship development programmes for successful entrepreneurs who are interested in becoming mentors for entrepreneurs, startups and growing businesses.

4. Community events: PEAK Centres will run regular speaker events for its alumni companies and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, bringing international, regional and local guest speakers on various topics of interest for the community.

Each PEAK Business Innovation Centre will also provide facilities and infrastructure to its programme participants to (co-)work in and conduct business workshops and training courses.

Criteria for Selection of Potential Partners for PEAK Business Innovation Centres:

1. Established legal entity that is registered in the Kyrgyz Republic

2. Interest and intention to develop cooperation in the development of the ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovations in Kyrgyzstan

3. Operational and/or financial capacity to co-operate (through space sharing) and/or co-finance a Business Innovation Centre or network of Centres

4. Knowledge and experience in specific industries in the country that are high-growth or high- impact for the Kyrgyz economy (e.g. ICT, transportation, storage & logistics, agro- or food processing, light manufacturing (e.g. textile, ready-made garments & accessories), etc.))

5. Innovative ideas and approaches to establishing business innovation centres

6. Willingness to co-brand with PEAK the business innovation centre(s)

The following criteria are desirable:

  • Successful experience in providing high quality business training programmes for SMEs and startups
  • Availability of space / premises for establishment of Business Innovation Centre
  • Experience in the establishment of business support centres (business incubators, accelerators, co-working spaces and other similar platforms).

How to apply

Interested parties should submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) in Russian, Kyrgyz or English language, duly signed by the authorised representative, before 23:59 April 22, 2020, via email to elniza_bekzhanova@dai.com.

The EOI should include the following information and documents:

1. Legal entity registration certificate

2. Charter of the organization and director/head appointment document

3. Applicant profile (general information about its activity, representations in the regions, assets, CVs of key personnel)

4. Portfolio of implemented projects and list of clients

5. Legal documentation of the premises and photos (if applicant proposes specific premises for the PEAK Business Innovation Centre)

6. Contacts of the last three partners of the applicant (last business projects implemented in partnership) to conduct reference check, if applicable

7. Proposals to establish PEAK Business Innovation Centre that include:

a. Description of the proposed partnership structure and key terms of cooperation, including but not limited to, location of PEAK centre and details of the space and premises, team, expected value of (monetary and/or non-monetary) contributions by each party, major focus areas and target markets, potential sustainability mechanism of the centre from 2023, timeframe for establishing the centre

b. Vision on co-branding of the PEAK Centre.

8. Contact details of applicant

© PEAK, 2023

© PEAK, 2023