Catalan NGO Hope Projects is Funding Early Stage Startups

Mireia Castaner, one of the young board members at Hope Projects.

The NGO called Hope Projects is looking for new startups for its program in Barcelona. It’s a relatively new program started in 2013 with it’s main focus on creating jobs for people with all kinds of backgrounds, either you hold a Phd, or holding a hammer, your the kind of person their aiming on helping.

They already have four startups in their program, and Mireia Castaner, a member of the youth board, tells Barcinno that Hope Projects already have created many jobs through their program.

“Our four first projects are going great, and we want to continue helping new entrepreneurs and startups with their ideas”, she says.

Also read: 4YFN 2016 – Barcelona’s Biggest Startup Event Of The Year

Harder than they thought

The NGO has a board of experienced entrepreneurs and business leaders that work closely with the projects.

What surprised the people at Hope Projects is how hard it has been getting people to apply for the program.

“We are truly unique in the way that we don’t require any business plan or a plan at all, just a good idea. We are so surprised that not more people are applying”, says Castaner.

Hope Projects is looking for startups or entrepreneurs that look to create jobs.

The ONE condition

The only real condition for applying is that your idea will create jobs.

So if your startup is a SaaS or a service that will make even fewer jobs, this is not the place for you. Its also counts as positive if your startup or your idea is close to the nature or is environmentally positive, but its not a requirement.

“We are a small organization, but we have a lot of experience from all kinds of sectors”, Castaner explains.

These startups/projects are already in the program:

Cuinara: A service that delivers healthy groceries straight to your doorstep together with a healthy and well tasting recipes.
Vadesan: A digital guidebook/e-store of natural medicines and herbal food supplements to keep you healthy.
Delicies del Bergueda: A quality yogurt brand from Catalonia with great local ingredients.
Carbo Ardenya i Gavarres: Producing high quality coal, while they clean areas for dead wood and create local jobs.