The Vice-President of the Government of the Azores will promote second edition of "Empreende Açores" (Azores Entrepreneurship). The programme falls within the Azorean Agenda for Employment Creation and Business Competitiveness, which, in turn, is part of the Strategic Plan for the Promotion of Entrepreneurship in the Azores.

This second edition of "Açores Empreende" begins on the island of Santa Maria on May 12. Several activities will be held across the archipelago throughout this year.

This is a training course organised in a partnership between the Society for the Business Development of the Azores (SDEA) and CRESAÇOR. It aims to foster entrepreneurship as a tool to enhance the integration of participants into the labour market by promoting the creation of companies or micro-businesses and supporting the restructuring of existing companies.

"Empreende Açores" is addressed at the unemployed without a higher education diploma, who wish to create their own business and implemented it. This initiative also intends to boost the economic potential of regional endogenous resources and contribute to local economic development.

This program will be developed in two phases. The first includes a theoretical and practical component, during which a 60-hour course approved by the Regional Directorate for Employment and Vocational Training will be taught. Participants will have the possibility of developing their business ideas and draft the respective business plans.

During this phase, special emphasis will be given to the exploitation of endogenous resources, including cryptomeria wood, marine macroalgae and basalt, as well as to innovative processes in the field of agriculture.

In the second phase of the programme, each student will be individually followed by specialists, who will provide support to the development and implementation of business projects, and the access to funding sources.