The third edition of the SkillsUp pre-incubation student startup program, implemented by the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro, has been successfully completed. During five days of intensive work, students gathered in eight teams developed innovative business ideas through practical workshops, mentoring support, and teamwork, and presented their results at the final competition before an expert jury and audience.
With the help of experienced experts from the domestic innovation community, the participants developed their concepts into sustainable business models. The developed ideas connect modern technologies with specific market and societal needs, relying on smart specialization priorities and the broader directions of Montenegro’s digital and green transformation. Eight teams created solutions that combine advanced technologies with the healthcare, finance, digital industries, energy, green and blue economy, agriculture, and law sectors.
SkillsUp is much more than a competition. The program is designed as a space where young people gain their first practical experience in entrepreneurship, learn how to identify problems, shape innovative solutions, and develop sustainable business models. Special emphasis was placed on the development of entrepreneurial competencies, teamwork, creative and critical thinking, and communication and presentation skills, while the final competition was an opportunity for students to present the results of their work and show the progress made over the past five days.
Although SkillsUp is primarily educational in nature, the competitive segment further motivated the participants and enabled the expert jury to single out the three top-rated teams:
First place – team FOKABOKA (theme: digital industries and innovation)
Second place – team TERRARISK (theme: green economy and technologies)
Third place – team TRIK (theme: healthcare and technologies)
All participants showed enviable maturity and potential, proving that our innovation ecosystem has exceptional talents at its disposal. Through the transformation from an initial idea to a confident final pitch, these young people pushed their own boundaries and took an important first step on their entrepreneurial journey. Below we also present the other ambitious and promising teams: Nexora (theme: finance and technologies), Wavei (theme: energy and technologies), Crop Guard (theme: agriculture and technologies), FeedEm (theme: blue economy and technologies), and StellaAI (theme: law and technologies).
Regardless of the final standings, all participants finished the program with new knowledge, more developed business ideas, and valuable experience that can serve as a foundation for their next entrepreneurial steps. This exactly reflects the key value of the SkillsUp program – empowering young people to recognize opportunities, develop initiative, and think entrepreneurially.
The Science and Technology Park of Montenegro is implementing the SkillsUp program for the third consecutive year with significant support from the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, Crnogorski Telekom, Five Group, Hipotekarna Banka, and SIA Montenegro.
Through SkillsUp and similar initiatives, the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro continues to connect education, innovation, and the economy, creating a stimulating environment where young people can develop their ideas, acquire practical knowledge, and take their first steps toward launching their own innovative ventures.