Start-Up Choihona - A Platform for Promotion of Youth Entrepreneur Projects

The main function of Start-up Choihona was to hold intra-university, regional and interregional competitions in Tajikistan. It was staffed by one international UN volunteer, ten community volunteers and on UN online volunteer. These competitions allowed the identification of talent people with innovative business ideas for further development. The project was designed to be flexible in its approach to follow the needs of entrepreneur and the current economic conditions. Consequently, the type of events it ran included; business idea contests, fairs, collaboration platforms, forums, training and mentoring programs. The promising Start-up companies participating in the platform could be from the industry fields of textile, handicrafts, ceramics, recycled plastic, ICT and energy etc. In addition, the space was also designed to benefit social entrepreneurs, who’s start-ups ventures concentrate on benefitting the society in general. 

Start-up Choihona also included the creation of a volunteer run co-working space which acts as a meeting point for new entrepreneurs, alumni students, investors, business angels and authorities. The co-working space had free entrance was open to anyone seeking to enter the field of entrepreneurship. The volunteers organized pitching competitions every quarter year with the winners of the competition being rewarded with consultancy time with investors and business angels and free courses in marketing and communications, taxation, legislation etc. organized by the UNV together with the partners like University, Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The private sector also contributed by giving their senior talents as coaches or lecturers. Young entrepreneurs participating in the pitching competition, also had the chance to test if their business idea is likely to “fly” and if the idea has the “so called x-factor”.