The Public Call for the Innovation Culture Promotion Programme was open from 5 May to 10 June 2026.
The programme was implemented with a planned budget of EUR 100,000, with the aim of continuously contributing to strengthening Montenegro’s competitiveness and developing an economy based on innovation and knowledge. The maximum amount of financial support per application was EUR 8,000.
A total of 78 project applications were submitted under the Public Call, of which 65 proceeded to evaluation conducted by the Fund’s Internal Commission, in accordance with the Evaluation Process Rulebook. Following the evaluation, the Commission positively assessed 53 projects. Thanks to additional funding, a total of 19 projects were selected for funding, amounting to EUR 150,797.50.
The final funding decision was made on the basis of the ranking list proposed by the Commission, following budget negotiations and verification that all administrative requirements necessary for contract signing had been met. The decision is being published following the signing of contracts with all beneficiaries awarded financial support.
Fund recipients
Project name
STEM Challenge 2026/27: Innovations for Sustainable Urban Development
Project description
Promoting an innovation culture among young people by developing practical knowledge and skills in electrical engineering, programming, and information and communication technologies, with a focus on applications in the context of smart cities and solving real-world problems in local communities.
Project name
Montenegrin Innovation Bulletin
Project description
The InnoCast project: Montenegrin Innovation Bulletin contributes to the development of an innovation culture through the production, dissemination, and promotion of a professional video series featuring an innovative concept focused on innovators and their innovations within Montenegro’s innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem. The innovative content concept is based on presenting innovations through authentic stories told by innovators about the entire process of their creation and development, from the initial idea, through challenges and testing phases, to tangible results, community impact, and future prospects for Montenegro’s development shaped by these innovations.
Project name
Digital Economy and Learning
Project description
The “DEAL – Digital Economy and Learning” project aims to foster an innovation culture, digital competencies, and entrepreneurial thinking among students aged 15 to 18 attending secondary vocational schools in Montenegro. The project connects education, digital transformation, AI tools, and innovation-driven entrepreneurship through hands-on student activities, mentoring support from teachers, and collaboration with institutions, businesses, and the local community. |
Project name
InnoBit 2.0 – Young Innovators Network |
Project description
The “InnoBit 2.0 – Young Innovators Network” project builds on the successful implementation of the “InnoBit – Innovating with micro:bit” project, with the aim of further developing an innovation culture, digital competencies, and creative thinking among children and young people in Montenegro. The project targets primary school students in grades 5 to 9, who will acquire knowledge of programming, electronics, and the use of micro:bit devices to solve everyday problems through practical workshops, mentoring, and the development of innovative projects.
Project name
TEDx Podgorica
Project description
The TEDxPodgorica project is a local initiative aimed at inspiring, connecting, and empowering the community through the organisation of a TEDx conference that brings together speakers from the fields of technology, arts, science, entrepreneurship, and social innovation. Following the successful delivery of the previous edition, TEDxPodgorica achieved significant international recognition by obtaining a TEDx Community licence, making Podgorica part of the global network of TEDx communities and creating additional opportunities to develop events and engage audiences throughout the year.
Project name
Young Innovators: First Steps into the World of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
Project description
The “Young Innovators: First Steps into the World of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics” project aims to promote innovation, artificial intelligence, programming, and robotics among primary school students across all three regions of Montenegro. |
Project name
IT SPOT Innovation Summit 2026
Project description
The project involves organising a conference entitled IT SPOT Innovation Summit 2026. The event brings together professionals, experts, researchers, and enthusiasts from the fields of business, public administration, innovation, and information technology to exchange knowledge, experiences, and examples of good practice, as well as to showcase the latest trends and technological solutions within the modern innovation ecosystem.
Project name
Future Makers
Project description
The “Future Makers” project is a multi-phase programme aimed at fostering an innovation culture, developing entrepreneurial competencies, and strengthening the active role of young people in creating socially beneficial and sustainable innovative solutions.
Project name
MEDICITY: Innovation for Health and Sustainable Development
Project description
The MEDICITY project focuses on promoting innovation in medical informatics, digital health, and the concept of smart cities, with the aim of raising awareness of their importance for improving citizens’ quality of life, increasing access to healthcare services, preventing disease, and ensuring sustainable community development. The project is based on the idea that healthier and more sustainable cities depend not only on the development of healthcare institutions, but also on the smart use of data, digital services, artificial intelligence, urban planning, and innovative entrepreneurship.
Project name
Technology Horizons – Innovation Roadshow for Young People |
Project description
The “Technology Horizons – Innovation Roadshow for Young People” project aims to promote an innovation culture and develop technical and technological competencies among children, young people, and teachers through practical STEM activities.
Project name
Move. Create. Animate.
Project description
Move. Create. Animate. (MCA) is a project that introduces young creatives to motion capture technology and the digital production process, from motion recording to the final animated product. It is intended for students of arts faculties and young creatives interested in this field.
Project name
AI&ME – Human Stories, Machine Intelligence
Project description
The “AI&ME – Human Stories, Machine Intelligence” project aims to promote an innovation culture in Montenegro through the production of an educational podcast series featuring personal and professional insights from experts in artificial intelligence. Across 15 thematically structured episodes, guests from Montenegro and the diaspora—including engineers, researchers, and entrepreneurs—will share their career journeys and practical examples of AI applications in strategically important fields such as healthcare, energy, sustainable development, and smart cities.
Project name
InnoBridge ME: Connecting Young People
Project description
The “InnoBridge ME: Connecting Young People Through Innovation Culture” project aims to contribute to the development of an innovation culture and promote innovation-driven entrepreneurship among young people in Montenegro. The project is implemented by B Solutions LLC, based in Tivat, in partnership with the University of Montenegro’s Faculty of Science and Mathematics, bringing together the business sector, academia, and young people interested in developing innovative ideas.
Project name
Energy of Ideas: Young People for a Sustainable Future |
Project description
The project aims to contribute to the development of an innovation culture among children and young people in Montenegro by promoting sustainable energy, innovation, STEM education, and creative problem-solving. Through practical workshops and interactive activities, participants will gain new knowledge about renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, sustainable development, and the importance of innovation for the future of society.
Project name
SMART MOBILITY MNE – High School Innovations for Sustainable Transport in Montenegro |
Project description
The project aims to connect secondary vocational schools specialising in transport education from several cities across Montenegro through a programme of workshops, training sessions, and teamwork focused on developing innovative solutions to real-world challenges in road, rail, air, water, and postal transport.
Project name
HOTEL-BOT CHALLENGE
Project description
The “HOTEL-BOT CHALLENGE – Hub of Technology, Entrepreneurship & Learning: Business Opportunities in Tourism” project aims to strengthen innovation culture, develop interdisciplinary knowledge, and foster collaboration between academia and the business sector through the application of information and communication technologies in tourism. The project is implemented in collaboration with the co-applicants: the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Montenegro, the Faculty of Information Systems and Technologies, and Razvršje d.o.o. Podgorica. Through a multidisciplinary competition, students from technical faculties across Montenegro will develop functional chatbot solutions designed to improve tourism and hotel services, while fostering creativity, teamwork, and entrepreneurial thinking.
Project name
SMART Competition 2026 – Strengthening Innovation and STEAM Culture Among Young People in the South
Project description
The “SMART Competition 2026” project is a regional initiative aimed at actively fostering an innovation culture among young people in the southern region of Montenegro. Through an intensive three-month non-formal education programme and hands-on workshops, participants will engage in the entire innovation cycle. Activities include advanced training in robotics, 3D modelling, electronic soldering of hardware components, and programming.
Project name
ZeLim – Eco-Innovators of the Lim River Region for Green Transformation
Project description
The “ZeLim – Eco-Innovators of the Lim River Region for Green Transformation” project is a hands-on youth programme designed for secondary school students from the municipalities of Andrijevica and Plav. The project is implemented in collaboration with the co-applicants, JU Secondary Mixed School Andrijevica and JU “Bećo Bašić” Secondary Mixed School in Plav. Through a series of creative makers’ workshops, participants will work with mentors to develop and build practical innovative prototypes, such as IoT sensors for monitoring the cleanliness of the Lim River and smart recycling solutions, using modern technologies and recycled materials. The project promotes an innovation culture, hands-on learning, and environmental awareness, contributing to the green transformation of local communities.
Project name
Montenegrin Green Innovation Lab
Project description
The GRINN Lab project is designed to introduce young people to the Green Agenda through a series of workshops exploring its objectives, key areas, and the challenges it presents. During the first phase, participants will learn about the development of the Green Agenda, the strategic and legal framework underpinning it, its significance, and examples of its practical application. Through interactive activities and practical tasks, participants will then be encouraged to think creatively and analytically, developing innovative solutions to the challenges posed by the green transition. |
