Innovation Fund Approves More Than €2.2 Million Through the GovTech Programme

Published 16 October 2026
Innovation Fund Approves More Than €2.2 Million Through the GovTech Programme

More than €2.2 million approved for the development of innovative solutions, with the total project value, including beneficiaries’ contributions, amounting to approximately €2.75 million

The Innovation Fund of Montenegro has selected 16 projects under the second phase of the 2026 GovTech Programme for Financing Innovative Solutions in the Public Sector. The projects will be implemented in cooperation with 18 public institutions, with €2,206,314 in funding provided by the Fund.

The selected projects were presented on 12 October 2026 at the GovTech Kick-Off event, Challenges Start to Be Solved, held at the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro in Podgorica.

Montenegro’s Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, Anđela Jakšić Stojanović, highlighted the importance of the programme in the context of Montenegro’s accession to the European Union.

“This programme is particularly important in the context of Montenegro’s accession to the European Union. Its successful implementation will enable our institutions and organisations to adopt innovative solutions aligned with current trends and practices in the European market. The programme’s particular value lies in the fact that it is based on real needs and challenges identified by public sector institutions, while the solutions are developed by members of the innovation and research communities, as well as businesses,” the Minister stated.

The GovTech Programme connects public institutions that identify challenges within their areas of responsibility with companies and research organisations developing innovative technological solutions tailored to their needs. The programme is implemented in two interconnected phases. In the first phase, public sector entities were invited to identify specific problems affecting the functioning of their institutions and the delivery of services to citizens and businesses, for which no adequate market solutions exist and which could potentially be addressed through innovative technologies.

A total of 91 challenges were submitted under the first public call. Following administrative checks and evaluation, 76 challenges were selected for further development. Under the second phase of the programme, aimed at companies and research organisations, 141 project proposals were received. Following evaluation, 16 projects involving 18 public institutions were selected for funding.

Katarina Lalović, Executive Director of the Innovation Fund of Montenegro, emphasised the importance of directing support towards solutions that address the specific needs of institutions. She also announced that the Fund intends to continue this model by launching a new call for challenges.

“Through the GovTech Programme, we connect institutions that identify challenges in their work with companies and research organisations developing solutions to address them. We want to continue developing this model of cooperation, which is why we will soon launch another public call for the first phase of the GovTech Programme, inviting public institutions to submit challenges that require innovative solutions,” Lalović said.

The selected projects are grouped into five thematic areas: Public Services, Digital Government, Smart Infrastructure, A Safer Montenegro, and Digital Development and Tourism.

The supported projects include the digitalisation of laboratory processes; HERMES Health, which uses predictive analytics and resource planning in healthcare; Connect AI, designed to improve communication in the public sector; and a solution for personalised cardiovascular patient care using artificial intelligence.

In the area of digital government, projects include mojID2; Red Flags, a system for the early detection of irregularities in public procurement; Lexora, a legal navigation platform; and TransLexor AI, designed to automate the translation of legal texts to support alignment with the European Union acquis.

Other supported solutions focus on analysing losses in the electricity distribution network, improving road infrastructure management and traffic safety through the Safe Road system, monitoring energy savings, and preventing waste container fires in Pljevlja. In the field of civil protection and emergency response, projects include a virtual reality-based platform to educate children on how to act in emergency situations and GeoRisk-Fire CG, a geographic information system (GIS) for assessing forest fire risks.

In tourism and innovation ecosystem development, the selected projects include TourismOS, an integrated digital platform for Montenegro’s tourism services and infrastructure, and the Ecosystem Intelligence Platform (EIP), designed to monitor and analyse the innovation ecosystem.

An initial budget of €2 million was allocated for the second phase of the programme. In response to the number of projects recommended for funding, the available funding was increased through an initiative to strengthen the Fund’s existing programmes under the Innovation Ecosystem Development Plan, using resources from the Programme for Investments of Special Importance to Montenegro’s Economic and Business Interests.

Project implementation will be monitored in accordance with the signed funding agreements and approved project budgets. Through its regular monitoring activities, the Fund will track progress against planned activities and assess the justification of expenditure, while grant beneficiaries will report on project implementation.

Further information about the programme and the selected projects is available here: Results of the 2026 GovTech Programme – Phase II Public Call.

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