History

CEED is a legacy institution of USAID and SEAF, born out of USAID grant funding in SME equity investments made by SEAF throughout the Balkans, and EBRD in Slovenia.

With nearly 20 years of experience in SME investing, 200 SME investments and 300 technical assistance interventions in frontier and emerging market SMEs, SEAF is acutely aware of the challenges faced daily by entrepreneurs in the management of their businesses. USAID is equally aware of these challenges having participated in SEAF Equity Funds as well as Enterprise Funds throughout the region.

SEAF and USAID found that entrepreneurs were generally not as equipped as necessary to deal with rapid business growth. They frequently lacked knowledge and tools to assess markets or develop/implement strategies that would expand their business and make them more competitive.

SEAF and USAID believed there was an important need for and opportunity to sponsor a distinctive, more relevant, and time efficient format for strengthening entrepreneurs and their SMEs, resulting in the establishment of CEED centers (Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development).

Basis for the design of CEED/Research Findings

To validate SEAF’s hypothesis, USAID and FMO funded in 2004-2005 feasibility studies conducted by SEAF in Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, and Macedonia. These studies largely affirmed Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) reports that:

• There is high interest on the part of entrepreneurs and their executive staff for training.
• Little training is ‘getting through.’ Generally, entrepreneurs and their management are either unaware of what is available, or doubt its value.
• There are few training programs focused specifically on small growth companies. That which is available is not practical or ‘needs driven.’
• There are few training programs targeting the 'high expectation' entrepreneur running a fast growing company. Their needs are more complex.
• There is an opportunity to develop training programs that ‘reflect the modus operandi’ of entrepreneurs and SMEs, are not as lengthy, and are highly practical.
• The development of networking institutions was growing on the local level, but little was available in terms of regional South Eastern Europe-wide networking.

If you would like to access the feasibility study and learn more about CEED’s research, please click here.