**Support for Startup Teams, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Research Organizations, Inventors, and Innovators**

Podgorica, May 29, 2024 – To strengthen the capacity of Montenegro’s innovation ecosystem and promote innovation culture, the Innovation Fund of Montenegro announces five support programs with a total value of 1.6 million euros. These support programs are designed for startup teams, micro, small and medium enterprises, research organizations, inventors, and innovators, offering them financial and mentoring support for the development of innovative ideas and projects.

Interested parties can apply for the following support programs:

**Collaborative grants for innovation** – With a budget of 1,000,000 euros, this program line encourages collaboration between micro, small, and medium enterprises and scientific-research organizations. The focus is on projects that contribute to the development of new products, services, technologies, or processes, with potential grant amounts ranging from 50,000 to 200,000 euros per project.

**Support for early-stage startup development** – With a budget of 350,000 euros, the aim of this program is to enhance the startup community in Montenegro by supporting the growth and development of existing and new startup companies. Teams or existing startup companies developing solutions with high market growth potential can apply for this program. The Fund’s grant of up to 35,000 euros per project provides not only financial support but also essential mentoring support in this development phase.

**Implementation of educational programs in smart specialization areas** – With a budget of 150,000 euros, this program aims to continuously contribute to Montenegro’s competitiveness growth and the development of an innovation and knowledge-based economy. It engages distinguished professionals, scientists, innovators, and/or entrepreneurs from the country and abroad, who, through structured training lasting up to six months, can contribute to enhancing the knowledge and skills of young people (students, researchers, and professionals). The maximum support amount is 10,000 euros per application.

**Encouraging innovation culture ** – With a budget of 80,000 euros, this program line offers up to 8,000 euros per application for organizing events, innovative idea competitions, and other activities aimed at fostering creativity and innovation, actively promoting an innovation culture.

**Vouchers for the protection of invention** – With a fund of 20,000 euros, this program line awards vouchers for patent protection and the development of inventions domestically and internationally (EPO/WIPO). The key objective of this program line is to enhance the competitiveness of legal entities in Montenegro through the protection of intellectual property domestically or internationally, and to enable individuals engaged in innovation activities (inventors) to protect their inventions with patents, facilitating further examination of the invention, such as laboratory testing, prototype development, and subsequent development stages leading to potential commercialization and market placement.

The public calls and necessary application documentation are available on the Fund’s official website (www.fondzainovacije.me), while applications are submitted through the portal: www.programifonda.me.

The Innovation Fund will organize info days and online informational sessions for potential applicants, with the aim of providing detailed information on the opportunities these public calls offer. Info days will be held in several cities, while online sessions will take place every Wednesday via the Zoom application, with the link published on the Fund’s website and social media channels.

Info days for this public call will be held in the following cities:

• – Podgorica (Chamber of Commerce, June 3 at 12:00)
• – Nikšić (Tehnopolis, June 4 at 12:00)
• – Bar (Business Center Bar, June 5 at 11:00)
• – Berane (Regional Business Center, June 10 at 11:00)

For all current calls, trainings, and information, interested parties can visit the Fund’s website (www.fondzainovacije.me) and follow announcements on social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

At the Innovation Fund of Montenegro, we believe that every innovation brings a step forward towards prosperity and development of our community. We kindly invite you to join us in building an innovative future together.

**INNOVATIONS PAY OFF!**