Merging youth potential with the real needs of the economy represents a key step in building a strong innovation ecosystem.

Exactly this message marked the final event of the Young Entrepreneurs Western Balkans (YEB) project, titled “Youth and Innovation: Presentation of Entrepreneurial Ideas,” which gathered promising young innovators, experts, and institutional representatives at the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro.

The central and most exciting part of the event was the presentation of the three best teams, who carefully developed their visions and solutions through a multi-month program and valuable study visits to Turin and Shkodër.

The audience had the opportunity to choose the best through direct voting, and the winning title went to the SeaSense team, consisting of Stefan Knežević and Đuro Radonjić, thanks to their innovative solution in the field of the blue economy.

Second place was won by Sava Tomović with the AperioTrace project, whose idea is strongly focused on improving cybersecurity.

Meanwhile, third place was taken by Ermin Mehović and Anes Beriša with the ENVA solution, offering smart solutions for modernization in the agriculture sector.

In addition to the dynamic competitive part, visitors had the opportunity to follow two exceptionally inspiring panel discussions. The first panel, dedicated to building the ecosystem, gathered institutional representatives: Vuko Jovanović (Chamber of Economy), Prof. Nedeljko Latinović, PhD, (Biotechnical Faculty), and Prof. Savo Tomović, PhD, (Ulysseus Innovation Hub for Cybersecurity). They spoke about the importance of systemic support and the introduction of digitalization into traditional sectors such as agriculture and maritime affairs.

Immediately afterwards, the focus shifted to innovators who recently stepped into the startup ecosystem through a panel symbolically named “Fall in Love with the Problem: First Steps in Building a Startup.” Startup founders Milan Marić (LoraSi), Anđela Raičević (VirtuGuardians), and Aleksa Albijanić (BoomPulse) openly shared their experiences on overcoming early obstacles, finding the right partners, and the necessity of adapting products to actual market needs.

The entire event concluded with a strong and encouraging message for all young people who are just planning to set sail into entrepreneurial waters. Early obstacles and initial failures must not be a reason to give up, but should be viewed exclusively as necessary and valuable lessons on the path to building a stable and successful business.

The event was funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy.