The Reempresa Centre in Catalonia helps match small businesses seeking new owners with potential entrepreneurs looking to take over an existing company. The Centre supports both parties through the transition process. In 2011, it helped engineer 13 business matches, preserving around 145 jobs. The Centre is co-funded by Catalan regional government and the European Regional Development Fund. Its goal is to help viable businesses stay open by facilitating ownership changes and ensuring continued employment.

1. panorama
inforegio
41 Spring 2012
Targeting results
en Fine tuning cohesion policy

2. Matchmaking agency helps
Spanish SMEs continue under
new management
‘Re-enterprising’ (Reempresa) is a new approach The Centre is the focal point of data and knowledge for the
being implemented in the Catalunya region of matchmaking process and supports potential owners with
Spain for supporting the transmission and success- its ‘re-enterprising’ methodology. It organises extensive
ful continuation of small businesses by assisting information programmes to highlight the benefits of the
new entrepreneurs to take over the helm. Reempresa approach for companies seeking to divest their
interests, and for potential ‘re-entrepreneurs’.
Around 95 000 micro enterprises and SMEs in Catalunya close
their doors every year and it is expected that at least 15 % will In 2011 the Reempresa Centre helped engineer 13 ‘SME
survive – providing continued employment for their work- matches’. As a result, around 145 jobs were preserved. In the
force – thanks to the innovative Reempresa process. first months of 2012 the number of ‘SME matches’ is already
higher, indicating the success of the project.
The Centre for Reempresa of Catalonia was launched in
2010 and is supported by the Catalan Employers Association The Centre is helping potential entrepreneurs find a new
(Cecot) and a private foundation promoting self-employ- business to get involved in and receive guidance on the
ment in Catalunya (CP’AC). It is cofinanced by the Catalunya business transfer process. The ‘re-entrepreneurs’ can pur-
Region (Generalitat de Catalunya Departament d’Economia chase or lease the assets of an existing company as an alter-
i Coneixement) and the European Regional Development native to creating a new business from scratch.
Fund (ERDF).
Find out more
It is both a physical and virtual matchmaking and support Reempresa: www.reempresa.org/?idioma=2
service which helps bring small companies looking for new Cecot (Catalan Employers Association,
owners together with potential entrepreneurs. The target co-initiator of the project): www.cecot.org
companies are small, often family-owned businesses, with CP’AC: www.autoocupacio.org
transmission or continuation difficulties. Generalitat de Catalunya Departament
d’Economia i Coneixement: www.gencat.cat
Reempresa on twitter: @Reempresa
Reempresa on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/groups/
Reempresa-3945960
‘ Existing companies with
continuation problems are
helped exit their business
ensuring its continuity and
bringing a secure future
for their employees.
’ Total cost:
EUR 1 700 000
EU contribution:
EUR 850 000
panorama 41 29