On March 3, the kick-off event of the Social Impact Award (SIA) program was held at the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro, through a panel discussion titled “Architects of the Future: Connecting Capital, Science, and Community.” The event brought together representatives from the financial, innovation, private, and public sectors.

The SIA represents the largest European program supporting youth social entrepreneurship. Its goal is to educate young people about entrepreneurship, strengthen their skills, support the implementation of their ideas, and achieve a positive social impact.

This event marked five years of the SIA program’s implementation in Montenegro, with partners and speakers jointly launching a new year of activities, delivering strong messages about the importance of supporting young people who aim to contribute to the community through innovative ideas.

The Head of the Innovation Programs and Projects Sector at STP Montenegro, Mr. Radivoje Drobnjak, who was one of the panelists, emphasized the importance of investing in ideas. He also spoke about the ongoing support programs provided by the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro, highlighting its role as a catalyst for innovation development since its inception.

The discussion also featured Dragana Crvenica, Director of the Communications Department at Erste Bank, Marina Braletić, Project Manager at Five Grupa, and Danijela Radeč, Acting Secretary of the Secretariat for Entrepreneurship and Investments of the Capital City. Representing the NGO COE, Jelena Kavarić, Program Manager, and Mr. Jugoslav Radović, Executive Director, also spoke.

During the program, the “support architecture” was presented—a model that connects capital, science, and the public sector, providing young people with the framework and resources needed to develop social entrepreneurship initiatives. This demonstrates that the only path to success is through quality and continuous collaboration between teams, companies, and institutions.