Strive Czechia

A woman kneels down to view a piece of machinery on a table. A bright red light is illuminating her face.

Women’s Entrepreneurship

Strive Czechia helps small businesses in the Czech Republic succeed in the digital economy.

Overview

Strive Czechia supports micro and small businesses grow and succeed in the digital economy by providing digital and other skills and tools, access to finance, mentoring, and networking.

Working with a network of local partners, including financial service providers, we leverage existing small business support services and design or adapt existing financial products and services, specifically tailored to small businesses, with a particular focus on women. By demystifying digital tools, we create demand for digital business growth.

This approach fills gaps in the how small business work and improves their financial strength and growth, while building an entrepreneurial support ecosystem. Through the program, we work with those in the ecosystem to influence and improve policies impacting micro and small enterprises.

Interested in partnering with Strive Czechia? Contact us at strive@care.cz

Strive logo

Who are we targeting?

Strive Czechia targets all small businesses in the country and helps them succeed, with a specific focus on women and displaced Ukrainian entrepreneurs.

Female entrepreneurs are widely under-represented in business ownership in Czechia and have needs that are neither fully discussed or covered within the current environment and require specific actions that help women thrive.

In the context of the current crisis in Ukraine, the program also provides dedicated support to small businesses run by displaced Ukrainians starting or restarting their businesses in Czechia and supports their economic independence and stability.

Two women peer into a display tray to view croissants and other pastries.

Challenges

Only 22% of microenterprises in the region are involved in e-commerce

Less than 1% of microenterprises export due to limited digital capabilities

Czechia has one of the lowest levels of domestic credit in the private sector globally

Women and underserved groups often struggle to meet collateral requirements for formal loans in Czechia and are often, incorrectly, perceived as less creditworthy

Women and affected groups groups often have limited access to new technologies and potential markets

Small businesses in Czechia often receive start-up support but then lack access to ongoing support services including digitalization and access to coaching or support networks

The opportunity

Small businesses are the most powerful drivers of economic activity across the European Union. Owning a successful business can change the trajectory of entrepreneurs’ lives, the lives of their families, and the lives of everyone who works for them.

In the Czech Republic, small businesses make up approximately 95.4% of all active businesses, serving as the backbone of the Czech economy. Despite this, more attention and support is focused on large and medium-sized enterprises, creating additional barriers for micro and small businesses.

Strive Czechia aims to change this by strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem by developing support systems tailored for micro and small businesses and offering recommendations and guidance to improve the policies that affect them.

Core activities

Providing access to critical support services leading to business digitalization and growth
Providing access to tailored financial products and services for underbanked entrepreneurs (particularly women-led MSEs)
Strengthening the Czech entrepreneurial support system
Promoting inclusive strategies for women-led small businesses

Strive Czechia is part of Mastercard’s Strive Community, a global initiative focused on strengthening the resilience and growth of small businesses.

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