The first edition of the LinkUp event – “Where Ideas Meet Opportunities” – was held on April 8 as part of a joint initiative by the Privredna komora Crne Gore, the Fond za inovacije Crne Gore and the Naučno-tehnološki park Crne Gore. The event took place at the Naučno-tehnološki park Crne Gore and was intended for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), startups and innovators seeking to improve their business and identify concrete sources of support.
LinkUp brought together representatives of support institutions, the business sector and the innovation community, with the aim of presenting current funding opportunities, support programmes, and opportunities for networking and partnership-building in one place.
In the opening session, representatives of the organizing institutions addressed the audience – Tanja Radusinović on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro, Saša Ivanović from the Innovation Fund of Montenegro, and Radivoje Drobnjak from the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro. They presented the LinkUp platform concept, emphasizing the importance of a coordinated institutional approach to strengthening the innovation ecosystem, as well as the support mechanisms provided by their institutions.
During the event, Vedrana Pajović from the Eko fond presented the institution’s activities, with a particular focus on funding programmes in the areas of energy efficiency and environmental protection. Additionally, Nina Perunović from the EIT Community Crna Gora introduced open calls of the Evropski institut za inovacije i tehnologiju (EIT), as well as opportunities for local companies and startups to join international innovation networks and projects.
Representatives of the business community also shared their practical experiences. Dragana Bulatović, CEO of ISOMONT, highlighted that initiatives like LinkUp provide significant support to startups, particularly in terms of access to information on available funding sources. As she noted, the main challenge is often not a lack of quality ideas, but limited access to information needed to bring those ideas to life.
Srđan Drobnjak from Cyberyne Systems Montenegro emphasized that LinkUp represents an important step towards connecting innovators with investors and institutions, as well as strengthening collaboration within the innovation ecosystem.
LinkUp is designed as a monthly event held every second Wednesday of the month, lasting 60 minutes, in a dynamic and interactive format. The concept includes concise presentations of current national and international funding programmes, practical guidance for preparing project proposals, open discussions, as well as B2B and networking segments.
The initiative aims to further improve the level of information available to the business community, increase the use of available funding programmes, encourage innovation and competitiveness, and strengthen collaboration both within Montenegro and with international partners.
LinkUp is not intended as a one-time event, but as a continuous platform supporting business development, connecting ideas with concrete opportunities and relevant partners. The next edition of the event will be held on May 13 at the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro.
