[Photo: Mosese Raqio]

Thirty-five young Fijians are being backed to turn business ideas into real enterprises under the Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Service’s Graduate Business Startup Grant Scheme.

The programme, introduced in 2024 under the Coalition Government, is now entering its second cohort.

TSLS Head of Student Services Avinay Kumar says the initiative is aimed at helping graduates and final-year students become innovators, entrepreneurs and job creators.

Each successful applicant receives support worth $10,000, split between training and startup assistance.

Kumar says the programme is not simply about handing out money, with participants undergoing training, mentoring and capacity-building to prepare them for running a business.

He says the recipients have demonstrated the determination to build businesses from the ground up.

“Today is more than a grant presentation ceremony. It is a celebration of ambition, innovation, and achievement. It is a recognition that every successful business starts with an idea, supported by commitment, perseverance, and the right opportunities.”

The scheme started in the 2024-2025 financial year, with the latest ceremony marking the second cohort.

The programme is delivered through FCEF’s Fiji Enterprise Engine and 30 participants were targeted in the first cohort, with 21 completing the programme.

The second cohort had 14 participants, with 10 completing all requirements to receive the grant.

Participants must complete business training, advisory and mentoring sessions, entrepreneurship attachments, business pitching and business-plan development.

They must also register their businesses and open business accounts.

The support will also continue beyond the grant, with recipients undergoing monitoring and evaluation in the coming months to assess whether they are putting their training and business plans into action.